This comprised 456,271 bags of Robusta, valued at $60.26 million (Shs 231.4billion) and 44,783 bags of Arabica at $10.89 million (Shs 41.8 billion), a decrease of 28.52 per cent and 5.25 per cent in quantity and value respectively compared to the same month in 2021.
By comparing the quantity of coffee exported by type in the same month of the last coffee year (August 2021), Robusta decreased by 28.31 per cent and 7.65 per cent in quantity and value respectively. Arabica coffee exports decreased by 30.6 per cent in quantity but increased by 10.59 per cent in value.
According to the UDC monthly report for August, the decrease in exports was mainly attributed to lower yields this year that were characterized by drought in many coffee-growing regions.
This led to a shorter main harvest season in the central and eastern regions and also reduced harvests from greater Masaka and southwestern regions.
Coffee exports for 12 months (September 2021 – August 2022) totalled 5.93 million bags worth $871.76 million (Shs 3.3 trillion) compared to 6.41 million bags worth $607.82 million (Shs 2.3 trillion) the previous year (September 2020 – August 2021). This represents a decrease of 7.49 per cent in quantity but an increase of 43.43 per cent in value.
“The average weighted price of $2.37 (Shs 9,102) per kilo, lower than the $2.41 (Shs 9,255) per kilo in July 2022 but higher than $1.79 (Shs 6,874) per kilo in August 2021. The average export price was $2.37 per kilo, lower than $2.41 per kilo realised in July 2022,” notes part of the report.
Robusta exports accounted for 91 per cent of total exports, slightly lower than 92 per cent in July 2022. The average Robusta price was $2.2 (Shs 8,449) per kilo, six US cents lower than the previous month.
Arabica fetched an average price of $4.05 (Shs 15,554) per kilo, lower than $4.14 (Shs 15,899) per kilo in July 2022. The top 10 export companies in the month of August 2022 were: Ugacof (U) Ltd, which had the highest market share of 17.28 per cent compared to 12.12 per cent in July 2022.
It was followed by Touton Uganda Ltd, Kyagalanyi Coffee Ltd, Ideal Quality Commodities Ltd, Olam Uganda Ltd, Louis Dreyfus Company (U) Ltd, Kawacom (U) Ltd, Ibero (U) Ltd, Besmark Coffee Company Limited.
Italy was the top export destination for Ugandan coffee. It was followed by Germany, Sudan, India, and Belgium. African countries that Uganda exported coffee to included Algeria, Sudan, Morocco, Tunisia, South Africa, Somalia, Egypt, Libya and Kenya. Europe remained the main destination for Uganda’s coffee.
World coffee production for 2022/23 is expected to reach 175 million bags, which is an increase of 7.8 million bags from the previous year, as Brazil’s Arabica crop enters the one year of the biennial production cycle, UCDA pointed out.
Global consumption is expected to increase by 1.81 million bags to 167 million, with the largest increase in the European Union, United States, Japan, and Brazil.
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