Uganda’s coffee exports drop in February 2024
KAMPALA, March 14, 2024 – Uganda’s coffee exports totalled 434,582 60-kilo bags in February 2024 compared to 481,586 60-kilo bags exported in the previous month, according to the latest report released by the Uganda Coffee Development Authority [UCDA].
UCDA’s report for February 2024, shows Uganda earned US$ 82.56 million from coffee exports in February 2024 compared to US$ 85.57mln the country received in January 2024.
However, the report says there was a decrease of 9.3 percent in the February 2024 coffee exports, and an increase of 25.06 percent in value when compared to the same month last year. The report attributes the low coffee exports in February 2024 to a small harvest in the Elgon region which mainly grows Arabica coffee.
“The monthly coffee export volume was lower than the previous year and this was more pronounced in Arabica coffee due to a small harvest in Elgon region which was a result of drought that affected yields,” the report says.
Meanwhile, Uganda’s coffee exports for the twelve months [March 2023-February 2024] totalled 6.06mln bags worth US$ 999.80mln compared to 5.75mln bags worth US$859.40mln in the previous year [March 2022-February 2023].
Outlook for March 2024
UCDA projects the country’s coffee exports to be 430,000 bags, with the coffee agency noting that harvesting of the main crop north of the Equator and the fly crop in Southwestern and Greater Masaka is tailing off. The harvest season of the main crop in Masaka and Southwestern regions is expected in April,” says UCDA.
On the other hand, world coffee production for 2023/2024 is forecast to reach 171.4mln bags, 6.9mln bags higher than the previous year of 164.5mln bags, with higher output in Brazil, Colombia and Ethiopia expected to more than offset reduced production in Indonesia.
That aside, global exports are expected to increase by 8.4mln bags to 119.92mln bags, mainly due to strong shipments from Brazil. Global consumption is forecast at 169.5mln bags, with the largest increase in the European Union, the United States of America, and Brazil.
https://thecooperator.news/ugandas-annual-coffee-exports-rise-7-percent/
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