Uganda Coffee

Uganda Coffee

In Uganda Coffee is the most important cash crop throughout all the years, making it the top export business earner since the 1980s. It has also specialized in the production of 2 types of Coffee, which is the Arabica which is grown at high altitudes that are ranging between 1,300-2,300m above sea level and meanwhile the Robusta coffee is grown at lower altitudes ranging from 900-1,500m above sea level making Ugandan coffee to possess the best qualities due to a high altitude, soils, and farming systems that cannot be easily found on elsewhere in the world. The Arabica coffee only grows in a high-altitude area of South Eastern Uganda as well as in South Western Uganda.

Coffee is grown in five areas: the Central, Western, South-Western, Northern, and Eastern regions. The last one comprises the Busoga regions (Robusta) and the Mountain Elgon region (Arabica). The Northern Region comprises the Mid-North (Robusta) and North-Western region (Arabica & Robusta). The South-western and Western regions produce both Robusta and Arabica. For Robusta, we have two varieties which is known as the Nganda and Erecta. High-yielding Clonal Robusta Coffee, which yields almost four times as much as traditional varieties, are being planted to replace old and diseased trees. For Arabica, there are a number of varieties, SL 28 (high altitude), SL 14 (medium-altitude), KP 423 (medium), and the traditional Nyasaland grown in the Mountain Elgon region, Rwenzori Region, as well on the mountains of Zeu in Zombo District.

Coffee is produced by an estimated 1.7 million small-plot coffee farmers from 108 districts. The altitude ranges from 800 to 1,400 meters above sea level for Robusta and 2,300 to 6,000 meters above sea level for Arabica. The high altitude, especially for Ugandan Robusta, makes it very unique and characterized by intrinsic quality characteristics/attributes. Sustainable and specialty coffees are being sold to niche markets at high premiums compared to conventional grades.

Robusta Coffee Production

Robusta coffee, which is made from the plant coffee canephore, mainly grows in the Lake Victoria Basin. It is known for low acidity and high bitterness in relation to coffee made from coffee arabica. Arabica beans, which is ranging between 200–800 meters above sea level tend to grow in higher altitudes than those of Robusta. Its production is also more of a robust crop because it generates great obtainable product per area than an arabica does and the costs of harvesting its coffee beans are considerably lower than arabica. Another advantage of it, the Robusta strain of the plant is more likely relative resilience to wilts and plant diseases, which makes it a less risky crop to rely on. Due to its high bitterness, it is examined to be less popular on the global market in parallel to arabica.

However, despite having an abundant crop that is resilient to disease, Robusta coffee is particularly adaptable to climate change. Studies project that a 2-degree Celsius increase in temperature can severely reduce the amount of coffee canephore that can grow in Uganda.

While Arabica was introduced at the beginning of the 1900’s, Robusta coffee is indigenous to the country and has been a part of Ugandan life for centuries. Wild Robusta coffee variety still grows today in Uganda’s rain forests and was thought to be one of the unusual examples of naturally occurring coffee trees anywhere in the world.

Mostly, Robusta is sun-dried, although in these recent years there have been moderate attempts to reintroduce the wet-processing. These kinds of interventions are on-going today, which is under the aegis of the UCDA. In the early 1960’s the Uganda coffee industry produced close to 25,000 tons of good quality pulped and washed Robusta but this segment vanished entirely during the monopoly years, together with the plantation sector that supported it. Today, there’s an estimation of about 500,000 small farms of varying sizes that grow at least some coffee.

Uganda’s Robusta is native that had two types which are grown namely the ‘Nganda’ and ‘Erecta’. An extensive clonal replanting program combines high yielding clones of both varieties that are vegetative propagated and self-sterile. The progenies are true to type and could retain their parental characteristics, wherein, they are high yielding, could mature faster, and produce a bigger bean with improved liquor characteristics. They also tend to have resistance to Coffee Leaf Rust Disease.

Uganda Robusta had an intrinsic quality that always been excellent and the on-going replanting program which is locally developed in a clonal material that is likely to result in a general revival of the country’s ability to supply goods, and neutral liquoring coffee. Robusta in Uganda is grown at relatively high altitudes, some as high as 1,500 meters, making these coffees especially attractive for the fast-growing espresso industry. However, the bulk of the Robusta can be used in the production of instant coffees and which is as inexpensive fillers for blends.

Arabica Coffee Production

The Arabica coffee plant doesn’t like those harsh climates and it likes humidity but can’t handle frost. It prefers temperatures ranging between 15°C to 24°C or equivalent to (59°F to 75°F) and likes to be grown in the shady parts.

It’s mainly grown at elevations of about 1,900+ feet which is (600+ meters) above sea level. Coffee bean likes to be grown on those hillsides and matures at the estimation of 7 years of age.

This plant usually grows to around 9 to 12 meters in the wild. But when grown for commercial use, it can reach only about 5 meters tall but it is usually kept at a range of 2 meters to help with the harvesting.

These beans (which are actually known as seeds) are found inside of the berries that grow on those shrub-like plants. These berries are usually harvested when they are “cherry” or their color is deep-red/dark-purple, but there are usually 2 beans in each berry.

More like into blueberries, its fruit of the arabica coffee plant doesn’t ripen at the same time, and that’s when the berries are best picked by hand. If the berries are harvested before they are fully ripe it will result in an inferior coffee.

If the arabica coffee beans are removed from the berries which there is also a so-called “parchment coat” and a “silver skin” that has to be removed too.