UGANDA – The top 10 buyers of Uganda’s coffee craved less of the commodity in February 2021, holding a market share of 58.56% of total exports, lower than 61.84% the previous month.

Sucafina, a leading player in the world of green, roasted, instant coffee merchanting with its main trading arm based in Geneva, led with a market share of 12.68% compared to 11.70% in January 2021.

The company displaced Olam International at the top position, making the Singapore headquater company come in second place with a market share of 9.41%.

It was followed by Volcafe, Ecom Agro Industrialist, Hamburg Coffee, Bernhard Rothfos, Bercher Coffee Consulting, Jacobs Douwe Egberts, Luigi Lavazza and Altasheel Import & Export Enterprises.

According to the report by the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), there were minimal changes in relative position compared to the previous month, reflecting market consolidation of major buyers of Uganda coffee.

In terms of destination, Europe remained the main market for Uganda’s coffees with a 68% imports share.

Uganda exported 563,763 60-kilo bags of coffee worth US$50.55 million in February 2021

Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA)

Italy cemented its top position with a market share of 28.12% compared with 32.10% last month. It was followed by Germany 20.82%, Belgium 9.67%, India 9.13% and United States 5.11%.

Coffee exports to Africa amounted to 67,615 bags, a market share of 12% compared to 80,332 bags (18%) the previous month. African countries included Sudan, Morocco, Kenya, Algeria, Egypt and South Africa.

Most of the coffee during the period under review was exported by Ugacof Ltd with a market share of 12.84% compared to 12.30% in January 2021.

It was followed by Kyagalanyi Coffee Ltd, Louis Dreyfus Company Ltd, Olam Uganda Ltd, Touton Uganda Ltd, Ideal Quality Commodities Ltd, Kawacom Ltd, and Grainpulse Ltd.

The report has indicated that the top 10 exporters held a market share of 74% compared to 72% the previous month.

The total exported amount of the commodity during the period under review was 563,763 60-kilo bags of coffee worth US$50.55 million, an 18.89% and 8.10% rise in quantity and value respectively compared to the same month last year.

This comprised 500,685 bags of Robusta, a 28.72% rise in quantity, valued at US$40.96 million, 18.17% higher than the corresponding period last year.

While for Arabica, the East African nation exported 62,078 bags valued at US$9.59 million, a decreased in both quantity and value by 26.40% and 20.72% respectively.

The decrease in Arabica monthly exports compared to the previous year has been attributed mostly to the off-year biennial cycle characteristic of Arabica production and the decline in value of variety is due to low volumes exported.

Increasing Robusta exports during the month was on account of fruition of the newly planted coffee as well as favourable weather.  This was also due to a positive trend in global coffee prices which influenced exporters to offload more coffee.

World coffee exports amounted to 10.21 million bags in January 2021 compared with 10.59 million in January 2020.

Exports for the first 4 months of coffee year 2020/21 (October 2020-January 2021) increased by 3.7% to 41.88 million bags from 40.38 million bags the previous period.

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