UGANDA – The Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) has reopened all primary coffee-processing factories in the Greater Mukono, Luwero, and Busoga regions in an effort to preserve the quality of Ugandan coffee.
According to the UCDA, the facilities were temporarily closed in mid-August following a report that they were not adhering to coffee processing and harvesting guidelines.
The report indicated that some of the factories were processing coffee cherries that were unripe and wet, while others were operating in poor hygienic conditions.
Some factories didn’t have cemented floors, and the moving parts of most machines did not have guards, while some coffee stores could not be accessed by the regulator.
“We are opening after knowing that coffee is now ready to harvest as per the UCDA standards,” announced Alice Nansamba, a technician from UCDA in charge of the central region.
She emphasized that farmers will gain more if they choose mature and ripe coffee because they have higher weight, giving them more kilograms to offer to traders.
In addition to using less energy and exerting less pressure on the machine, mature coffee also ensures quality to a processor.
Closing the factories was part of UCDA’s strategy to safeguard buyers who might have provided financial assistance to farmers, shield farmers from undue pressure, and guarantee the quality of processed coffee.
Nansamba concluded by asking farmers to abide by the rules governing the production of coffee, such as hulling or processing well-dried coffee, picking only ripe cherries, and following the right post-harvest procedures to guarantee high-quality coffee production.
As a result of the enhanced capacity brought on by the reopening of all primary coffee processing factories, more shipments of coffee to Russia’s expanding coffee market are expected.
Demand from Russia intensifies
Meanwhile, Uganda’s ambassador to Moscow, Moses Kizige, has announced an increase in demand for Ugandan coffee in the Russian market, as it is being used to improve the aroma of coffee from other regions.
Speaking to the local daily, New Vision Online at the Ugandan Embassy in central Moscow, he noted that Ugandan coffee is now ranked the best in the world, making it a highly sought after commodity in Russia where it commands 5% of the market.
Ugandan coffee however competes with other coffee producing countries such as Brazil, Costa Rica, and Ethiopia.
Kizige however notes there still exists a higher demand for Ugandan coffee, citing an example of a Ugandan trader who airlifts half a tonne of coffee to Moscow every week, making massive profits.
He also gave an example of two Ugandans who have opened coffee shops in Moscow and St. Petersburg, therefore encouraging other citizens to follow suit.
Kizige also expressed optimism that coffee exports are set to increase once the sanctions imposed on Russia due to the Ukraine-Russia conflict ease, allowing transportation through the sea.
