Uganda's coffee shipments down 15% in July - agriculture ministry
Uganda's coffee exports dropped by 15.1% in July compared to the previous year, resulting in an 18.6% decline in export earnings. While the agriculture ministry did not specify a cause, severe drought conditions in the region are suspected to have impacted production.
Why it matters
As coffee is a primary commodity export for Uganda, significant fluctuations in export volume and value directly impact the nation's foreign exchange reserves and economic stability.
Uganda’s coffee exports fell 15.1% in July from a year earlier, with the country earning $204.1 million from shipments, down 18.6%, the Ministry of Agriculture said on Monday.
The East African country, Africa’s largest coffee exporter, shipped 846,376 60-kg bags in July, compared with 997,105 bags in the same month last year.
The ministry did not give a reason for the decline, although severe drought has affected large parts of Uganda in recent months, damaging farmland.
Coffee and gold are Uganda’s leading commodity exports and major sources of foreign exchange.
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