STiR coffee and tea magazine

26 STiR coffee and tea | 2023 Issue 5 (October / November) U By Shem Oirere and Brian Mertens ganda's coffee sector has been building on its position as Africa's second- largest producer, raising both production and qualify in recent years. A na- tional strategic plan launched in 2021 aims to nearly triple production from the 2019/20 season to 20 million 60 kg bags in 2024/25, thereby lifting annual coffee export earnings from $583 million to $1.5 billion. The $210 million plan seeks to re- duce harvest and post-harvest losses by half from 40%; increase total acreage under coffee by 20%; and double yields per tree. Uganda is a robusta powerhouse. Coffea canephora is native to the country, and the species accounts for about 85% of production, according to USDA figures. The plant- ing of three new high-yield varieties of robusta during the past five years has been helping boost production. Yet the five-year strategic plan of the Uganda Coffee De- velopment Authority (UCDA) calls for also increasing production of arabica, to take advantage of the higher prices it commands and to support development of employ- ment and income throughout the nation's coffee value chain. One obstacle, however, is perennial outbreaks of coffee crop pests and diseases, including black coffee twig borer and coffee red blister disease. In response, the Na- tional Coffee Research Institute (NACORI) with the support of the European Union, is set to release to the market at least five new arabica coffee varieties that are resistant to pests and diseases. The new varietals are expected to help farmers cut production costs associated with purchase of agricultural chemicals. "Uganda has been lagging behind in development of new arabica varieties, and this is going to be a landmark for the farmers and the sector," said Pascal Musoli, a plant breeder and coffee and cocoa researcher at NACORI. Uganda to Release New High-Yield Arabica Varieties Uganda's Coffee Export Sector • 5.1% of global coffee production • 5.3% of global coffee exports • 22% of commodity export earnings derived from coffee (2022) • 112 registered export companies • 34 export grading plants • 912 hullers • 923 buying stores • 10,000 middlemen (small traders, medium and large) • 12.2 % of Uganda's exports are verified or certified "sustainable," well above global average of 8% • Farmer receives ~70% (robusta) and 80% (arabica) of export (FOB) price • Coffee is planted on less than 20% of the average farming household's plot but provides over 50% of annual cash income. Source: UCDA, 2020/21 figures Resilient varieties of robusta have already expanded Uganda's coffee production. New arabicas are expected to help as well.

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