By Stephen Nuwagira
Uganda’s coffee export value and volumes were up in June year-on-year buoyed by price rise on the world market, according to Uganda Coffee Development Authority’s monthly report for June.
The report says a total 563,832 60-kilo bags were exported last month, raking in $90.56m (sh328.09b).
This indicates an increase from 530,365 60-kilo bags shipped out of the country in June 2022, valued at $83.79m (sh303.57b).
Last month, Uganda exported 489,597 bags of Robusta coffee, bringing in $73.88m (sh267.66b) in revenue while $16.68m (sh60.43b) was realized from 74,235 bags of Arabica coffee shipped out over the period under review.
This was an increase of 6.31% and 8.08% in quantity and value, respectively, compared to the same month last year, the UCDA monthly report for June shows.
The volumes exported in June this year were up over 10% compared to last June, while earnings inched up 21.16%. There was a 13.85% drop for Arabica coffee exports during the period while value was also down by 26.89%.
UCDA attributes the growth in volumes exported and earnings realized partly on “account of a good crop harvest in southwestern region and the prevailing good prices on the global scene, which prompted exporters to release their stocks”.
It notes that the decrease in Arabica coffee value was due to anticipation of high output from Brazil in the coffee year 2023/24, where “harvesting is moving at a faster rate due to favourable harvest conditions”.
The average export price during the reporting period was $2.68 (sh9,709) per kilo, which was one US cent lower than in May 2023 ($2.69/kilo).
It was five US cents higher than in June 2022 ($2.63/kilo).
Robusta coffee exports accounted for 87% of total exports, higher than 64% in May 2023.
The average Robusta coffee price was $2.51 per kilo, 19 cents higher than $2.32 per kilo the previous month.
