Uganda: coffee export earnings rise 31.4 percent in November

KAMPALA (Reuters) - Uganda's coffee export earnings rose 31.4 percent to $27.6 million in November from $21 million in October, the coffee board said on Monday.

Data from the Uganda Coffee Development Authority also showed Uganda shipped 266,722 60-kg bags in November, a 48.5 percent rise from October's 179,564 bags.

Uganda is Africa's second biggest coffee producer, growing the robusta variety. Ethiopia is top and mainly grows arabicas.

Output went up 28.4 percent to 371,743 bags in the first two months of the current crop year (Oct/Nov) from 298,165 bags in the same period last year.

"The improvement is attributed to coffee planted under the strategic export programme, which has continued to come on the market; the ongoing coffee production campaign and favourable weather and good prices which translated in good husbandry practices," the board said.

Some 3 million bags worth $368.9 million have been shipped out in the last 11 months, comprising 2.55 million bags of robusta and 0.46 million of arabica.

Some 2.42 million bags worth $236.7 million were exported in a similar period last year.

Tanzenia: Coffee factory mulls higher Green tea farmer prices

Factory mulls raising producer tea prices By Joas Kaijage.

Bukoba Kagera Tea Company (KTC) Ltd mulls raising producer prices for green tea in order to motivate farmers. The move comes amidst fears of slumped processing at the KTC factory.

With capacity for two million kilogrammes, the factory is projected to process about 890,000 kilogrammes only this year. According to KTC Executive Director Dr Peter Mgimba, the factory would not meet its target of at least processing one million kilogrammes this year because of low farmer morale.

Currently, the factory pays farmers Sh100 per kilogramme of green tea leaves without deducting transportation charges as in other regions but farmers are apparently still disenchanted. Dr Mgimba said training for farmers and higher producer price were in line with a number of other KTC interventions to boost production. Recently, KTC in collaboration with the Tanzania Small Hawkers Tea Development Association organised a course for tea extension officers and farmers at the UYOLE Agricultural Institute in Mbeya.

The chairperson of the Kagera Tea Farmers Association (KATEA) Mr James Rwegoshora said Kagera Region had only 178 hectares under tea cultivation after farmers abandoned about 100 hectares. Mr Rwegoshora said tea farms formerly covered 1225 hectares but most farms were abandoned after the factory was privatised in 2000. As a result Mr Rwegoshora said the farms have attracted both local and foreign investors under increasing attention also of local authorities that have started reallocating some of them.

Region: Indian Coffee exports up 2.54 % in FY08

India’s coffee exports for the crop year (October 2007 to September 2008) has increased by 2.54 per cent at 230,910 tonnes as against 2,25,187 tonnes exported during the previous year, according to the Coffee Board statistics.

In dollar terms, the exports were up 32.09 per cent higher at $586.27 million as against $443.83 million last year. In rupee terms coffee exports have gone up by 27.45 per cent at Rs 2,427.86 crore as against Rs 1,904.95 crore realised last year.

In terms of unit value realization, exports were up 24.29 per cent at Rs 105,143 a tonne as against Rs 84,594 a tonne fetched last year. According to the International Coffee Organization, global exports in the first 11 months of coffee year 2007-08 have decreased 4.5 per cent to 86.6 million bags compared to 90.7 million bags in the same period last coffee year.

Indian coffee exports for first-nine months were also up 6.26 per cent at 184,976 tonnes as against last year’s exports of 174,077 tonnes. “After selling most of the produce, about 10-15 per cent of the coffee is left at the farms. Buoyed by high prices last few weeks, coffee growers are demanding more than Rs 200 a bag,” said B L Harish, proprietor of Blan Coffee, Kushalnagar, a farm gate trader.

Other sources however have slightly different numbers:

IRIS NEWS DIGEST: Coffee export rise 5.75% in Jan-Sep`08

As per the Coffee Board`s latest data, the coffee export from India has shown robust performance during the period of Jan-Sep, 2008 due to a significant increase in overseas sales of value-added coffee, reports Business Line.

As per the statistics, India`s coffee exports rose by 5.75% at 0.184 million tons in the first nine months of 2008 as compared to 0.174 million tons a year ago period.

There has been a quantum jump in value-added coffee exports and it will add-up in the coming months as well. The export of value-added products that largely constitutes instant coffee rose by 101% to 18,739 tons during January-September period, the Board data said.

Meanwhile, export of robusta variety rose marginally by 2.12% to Rs 92,543 tons in the review period from 90,618 tons last year. While overseas sale of arabica variety improved significantly by 19.26% at 42,461 tons, the data showed.

However, instant coffee sales plummeted drastically by 19.96% to 31,233 tons, it added.

Region: Vietnamese Coffee Makers Seek Outlets in Italy

Representatives from 11 Vietnamese leading coffee producers and exporters met with Italian businesses at a workshop in Rome on September 26 to study market demand and to seek Italian distribution partners. (Visit our gourmet select roasts HERE. Roasted specially for you)

Addressing the seminar, jointly held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy and the authorities of the Lazio region, President of the Vietnam Coffee Corporation (VINACAFE) Doan Dinh Thiem said that Vietnam is the second-largest coffee exporter in the world, holding a 20 per cent share of the world market with an average annual export volume of 840,000 tonnes. Vietnam also stands second, following Brazil, in exports of coffee to Italy, though he added that there is still substantial potential for further trade between the two countries.

During the past eight years Italy has imported on average 66,000 tonnes of coffee per year from Vietnam, becoming the fourth-largest importer from Vietnam, after Germany, the US and Spain.

Some of the largest coffee businesses in Italy have opened representative offices and commenced joint ventures in Vietnam. According to Vincenzo Sandalj, President of the Coffee Association of Trieste city, Vietnam has increased its market share in Italy as the taste of its coffee has met with Italian consumers requirements and palates.

He said Italy, the fifth-largest coffee importer in the world, with an annual growth rate of 6 per cent, holds still more opportunities for Vietnamese businesses.

Region: Kenya News

Coffee miller looks beyond Central Kenya for market
The fight for a slice of the coffee market in western Kenya and the Rift Valley is set to intensify with the entry of a new miller in the region.

Central Kenya Coffee Mills is set to move there as forecasts show increased production.

The miller joins Thika Coffee Millers, Sasini Coffee, Socfinaf, and KPCU. After establishing themselves in the main coffee production areas of Central and Eastern provinces, coffee millers and marketers are now fighting for a larger share of coffee from Western and Rift Valley provinces.

The region, which produced 10.2 per cent of the total output in 2007/2008 has been attracting players in the industry as future forecasts show increased production.

Figures from the Crops/Farms survey carried out by the Coffee Research Foundation show that Western Kenya produced 2,090 metric tonnes of coffee while the Rift Valley produced 2,249 metric tonnes in 2007/2008.