Uganda earns millions of dollars from coffee exports
The export of Coffee isn’t as complicated as many first timers think. Lack of information however makes it so. The Ministry of Trade , Industry and Cooperatives through the Uganda Trade Information Portal has moved to bridge this information gap.
The Trade information portal provides access to transparent practical step-by-step guidelines to get the licenses, pre-clearance permits and clearance formalities for the most traded goods in and out of Uganda- Coffee inclusive.
For an exporter of coffee, it’s easy to know from the Portal where exactly to start from and what you require on your first visit.
The Portal details that you need to see, how long it takes and how much you need to pay. It also tells you how to obtain the needed licences and documentations.
Traders who intend to engage in exportation of coffee are required to register with Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), a body which regulates all facilities where grading and color sorting of coffee beans are carried out and inspected.
The registration is aimed at adhering to strict purposes of producing and exporting good quality coffee which meets the international standards.
The portal indicates that a trader wishing to export coffee must have or must obtain a Coffee Export License from UCDA.
The trader also requires an International Coffee Organization (ICO) Certificate of Origin for each consignment as required by the International Coffee Organisation. A quality certificate is also issued to confirm that the coffee is of good quality and meets International standard requirements. These are issued by UCDA.
The portal also provides information on how to register a new coffee grading facility and how to obtain a performance bond which is necessary before one can obtain a coffee export license.
A phytosanitary certificate is also necessary for coffee exporters to prove that the coffee is free of regulated pests and that it meets the requirements of the importing country as stipulated in the import permit which the exporter must attach to their application for the certificate.
Coffee is one of the leading exports of Uganda. UCDA figures indicate that exports for the calendar year (January 2020 to December 2020) totaled to 5,492,525 bags worth US515.94 million ( approximately Shs1.902Trn), compared to 4,519,563 bags worth US$436.54 million equivalent to (Shs1.610Trn) the previous year. This represents 22% and 18% increase in quantity and value respectively.
The Uganda Trade Information Portal is a trade facilitation platform implemented by the Ministry of Trade Industry and Cooperatives (MTIC) and the National Trade Facilitation Committee, in partnership with East African Community (EAC), Trade Mark East Africa, USAID, United Nations (UN) AND International Trade Centre.
