Coffee exports surge in 2017

Uganda exported 386,217 60-kilogram bags of coffee worth $42.7 million in December, according to data from the Uganda Coffee Development Authority.

The quantity exported was 9.2% less than the same month in 2016, while receipts fell 17% compared to the same period in the previous year. Coffee is Uganda’s most valuable export commodity.

Robusta exports were 291,314 bags worth $30m, while 94,903 bags of Arabica worth $12.71m were exported. For Robusta, that translates into a decline of 11.2% and 16.7% in quantity and value respectively compared to the same period in 2016. Arabica bags were 2.2% less than in 2016 while receipts fell 17.8%.

Coffee exports in 2017 came to 4.7m bags worth $554 million, versus 3.56m bags worth $371m in 2016. This was an increase of 33.9% and 49.3% in quantity and value, respectively.

Robusta shipments – which came to 71.1% of total exports – grew 17.1% in 2017 from 2016, while their value rose 12.8%. Arabica exports, on the other hand, increased by 13.8% although their value fell 1.41% compared to 2016

The European Union was the biggest buyer of Uganda’s coffee in December, accounting for 62.7% of total shipments. This was followed by Sudan with 13.2%, India at 6.2%, Algeria at 4.7%, and the USA at 4.4%. Exports to Africa amounted to 113,941 bags, a market share of 25.7%.