The east African country shipped a total of 503 695 60-kg bags of coffee beans in September, down 14% compared with the same period a year earlier, Uganda Coffee Development Authority said in a report.
“The decrease in exports was mainly attributed to lower yields this year that were characterised by drought in most regions,” UCDA said, adding the dry conditions had resulted in a shorter harvest season in central and eastern Uganda. Uganda is Africa’s largest exporter of coffee, followed by Ethiopia, and relies on earnings from the crop as a major source of foreign exchange.In the 2021-2022 crop year, Uganda exported 5.9 million bags that fetched $876 million, down from 6.5 million bags worth $630.01 million.
Some years earnings are higher despite a decline in volumes because of rises in international coffee prices.