Background to the coffee industry
Coffee, as a commodity, has continued to play a leading role in the economy of Uganda, contributing up to 30% of the country’s overseas foreign exchange earnings.
Though large scale coffee producers are gradually emerging, the coffee sub-sector is almost entirely dependent on about 500,000 smallholder farmers, 90% of whose average farm size ranges from less than 0.5 to 2.5 hectares. The coffee industry employs over 3.5 million Ugandan families through coffee related activities.
The Uganda Government’s policy on coffee production since liberalization in 1991 had been to gradually replace the old, diseased coffee trees with new, genetically pure and high yielding coffee varieties at a rate of 5% per annum for Robusta and 2% per annum for Arabica over 20 years. This was expected to replace all old, unproductive coffee trees and optimise foreign exchange earnings to the country and payments to farmers. This policy is still ongoing.
Coffee varieties grown in Uganda
Uganda grows two types of coffee - Robusta and Arabica, which are grown in the ratio of 1: 4. Robusta coffee is indigenous to the country, and has been a part of Ugandan life for centuries, whilst Arabica coffee was introduced into Uganda at the beginning of the 1900's, originating from Ethiopia.Robusta coffee has its native habitat in the Lake Victoria Crescent and is indigenous to the country, having been a part of Ugandan life for centuries. One variety of wild Robusta coffee beam is still growing today in Uganda's natural rain forests; they are thought to be some of the rarest examples of naturally occurring coffee trees anywhere in the world. The Robusta coffee trees are intercropped with traditional food crops and grown in the shade of banana and other shade trees. In these self-sustaining natural conditions, the Robusta coffee is left to grow naturally, flowering on average twice a year.
Commercially grown Robusta Coffee is generally found in the low altitude areas of Central, Eastern, Western and South Eastern Uganda up to 1,200 metres above sea level; Arabica coffee is grown in the highland areas on the slopes of Mount Elgon in the East and Mt. Rwenzori and Mt. Muhabura in the South Western Region (1500-2,300 metres above sea level).
Arabica coffee is more competitive internationally because of its superior quality. Uganda grown Robusta coffee too has intrinsic quality attributes which can attract a premium on the international coffee market. On the other hand, the new Arabica variety, (Tuzza), commonly referred to as catimors perform well in low altitude areas of the country predominantly zoned for Robusta coffee, (1,200-1,500 m). [At high altitude, this variety succumbs to Coffee Berry Disease (CBD) and yields are poor.] The origin of the catimor arabica is Papua New Guinea and this variety is known for its high yielding capabilities, drought resistance and tolerance to diseases.
