Browsing: arabica

Black gold runs the world and Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni seems to have struck his long-coveted oil pipeline deal with Tanzania.

In the wake of his November state visit to Tanzania, the $3.5 billion deal is heading in the right direction.

However, this article is about another black gold, not crude oil, no, our topic of discourse is another prime foreign exchange earner for Uganda; the sweet aroma filled and much-coveted Robusta coffee, a $657 annual earner for Uganda.

Granted it’s but a fraction of what the oil deal will earn the country but coffee earnings represent much bigger financial inclusion for the Ugandan people than any oil deal ever will.

Here is why. Coffee farming directly employs over 1.7 million Ugandans who produce close to 6 million bags. Actually, Uganda produces 6% of global Robusta and 1% of the world’s Arabica coffee. Put together, coffee brings 18% of all …

In a recent statement by the Tanzania Coffee Board (TCB), Tanzania earned Tshs.180 billion ($79 million) from the sale of over 65,000 tonnes of coffee collected in the 2018/2019 crop season.

The board Director General, Primus Kimaryo said 40,940 tonnes of coffee were sold through the TCB Coffee Exchange, with the remaining 24,583 sold through Direct Coffee Export. Robusta dominated the direct export with 19,399 tonnes constituting 78.9 per cent while 5,183 tonnes of Arabica coffee made 21.1 per cent of the consignment.

Mr. Kimaryo said that although coffee production during the 2018/2019 season was 65,000 tonnes, an increase of 30 per cent from the previous year`s 50,000 tonnes, prices in the world market were not favourable to farmers.

He challenged farmers from across the country to put more emphasis on the production of high quality coffee to fetch good prices on the world market in the future seasons.

Outlining …