UGANDA – UGACOF, a Ugandan agro-processing and value-addition company, was ranked as the top exporter and winner of the 24th President Exporters’ Award for 2018.

UGACOF, whose main business is coffee processing including hulling, cleaning, grading and sorting coffee beans harvested before export was declared the winner in the event organised by the Uganda Export Promotions Board (UEPB).

According to a report by Daily Monitor, UGACOF, which has been in existence for the last 25 years, earned Uganda export receipts in the excess of US$89.82 million in year under review.

Additionally, Kyagulanyi Coffee Limited, founded in 1992 as the oldest licensed coffee exporter in Uganda came second.

It is one of the leading green coffee exporters in Uganda with export volumes of about 400,000 bags a year.

Kyagulanyi is a major exporter of high-quality arabica and robusta coffees from all major coffee growing areas in Uganda, working with over 12,000 farmers across the country to improve the yields and quality of their coffee through our sustainability initiatives.

The firm competed with other 40 companies under 12 product lines in an exercise that integrated various stakeholders including the Trade Ministry, Uganda National Bureau of Standards, Private Sector Foundation Uganda, Uganda Investment Authority and Uganda Manufacturers Association.

Nimrod Wanyala, chairman UEPB however stressed on the importance of an Export Fund to target the exports niche that will support Sustainable Economic Development.

Uganda’s Vice President Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi said that investors should leverage on the abundance of resource in an innovative way in order to boost cottage industries.

Uganda has recorded growth in exports, posting exports receipts of US$3.6 billion (Shs13.3trillion) up from US$3.4 billion (Shs12.5 trillion), according to data released by Bank of Uganda last month.

Furthermore, Mr Elly Twineyo revealed that the Uganda Export Promotion Board executive director, at least US$1 billion was earned from manufactured goods which has continued to record growth in the recent years.

Trade Minister Amelia Kyambadde, said export volumes have seen progressive growth increasing from US$460 million (Shs1.7 trillion) in 1994 to US$3.6 billion (Shs13.3 trillion) in 2018.

Other category winners included Olam, Esco, Pearl Dairy Farm, Mukwano Industries, Roofings, Graphics Systems and Lake Bounty, among others