HK - Coffee - why is Uganda doing so well - and Kenya so badly

[RV Pundit]

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Uganda everywhere you'll see coffee beans been sun dried. They lead Africa in production.

We need to take lessons from Uganda.

[hk]

Uganda everywhere you'll see coffee beans been sun dried. They lead Africa in production.

We need to take lessons from Uganda.

The main reason is uganda's coffee industry is fully liberalized. The reason you see farmers drying coffee everywhere is cause unlike Kenya in uganda a pulping license isn't required. Farmers don't have to sell their coffee to corrupt coffee cooperative societies. Also its far much easier to produce robusta coffee than arabica which is what Kenya produces.
Ultimately the coffee act needs to be repealed for the industry to thrive. The goods news is that there're new aggregators and consolidators specializing in high end specialty coffee that have come up( I am part of this).  Basically changing the business model so that its quality driven not quantity. The beauty of coffee is that better husbandry of trees leads  to higher yields and increased quality.

[RV Pundit]

Interesting. Indeed in terms of quality - they are pretty bad. But the sector has no regulation - most of uganda sectors are not regulated - they really have no history like ours - where small colonial farmers grouping - put in regulation to prevent entry of Africans and competition.

The main reason is uganda's coffee industry is fully liberalized. The reason you see farmers drying coffee everywhere is cause unlike Kenya in uganda a pulping license isn't required. Farmers don't have to sell their coffee to corrupt coffee cooperative societies. Also its far much easier to produce robusta coffee than arabica which is what Kenya produces.
Ultimately the coffee act needs to be repealed for the industry to thrive. The goods news is that there're new aggregators and consolidators specializing in high end specialty coffee that have come up( I am part of this).  Basically changing the business model so that its quality driven not quantity. The beauty of coffee is that better husbandry of trees leads  to higher yields and increased quality.

[gout]

Robusta is been taken up very well in the local market. Given we have been tea lovers, the bitter taste of Robusta seems to be acceptable to our palates unlike the acidic Arabica.

With its cheap prices the Ugandan coffee is finding a market with the small processors.

[RV Pundit]

I have heard West Pokot are planting coffee...anyway as Central move to real estate and high value crops - we need new areas to embrace coffee production - and they are many parts of rift valley - that should ditch useless maize for coffee. Elgeyo Marakwet would make a perfect replacement for all the Kiambu coffee being destroyed.

[hk]

Robusta is been taken up very well in the local market. Given we have been tea lovers, the bitter taste of Robusta seems to be acceptable to our palates unlike the acidic Arabica.

With its cheap prices the Ugandan coffee is finding a market with the small processors.

90% of coffee consumed in kenya is instant coffee which is mainly made from Robusta coffee. Roasters like Gibson coffee buy Uganda robusta coffee, ships it to Eqypt for processing then  packs finished instant coffee to be sold locally. Arabica coffee is mainly for high end coffee shops and tourist market when tourism was booming.

[gout]

This too. We now have like 5+ brands doing instant coffee on our supermarket shelves. Good to see others having a bite of Nescafe and Dormans lunch.  Convenience of instant coffee is a great marketing plus. Once we have a sachet below Kshs. 3 the market will explode - 1.6 grams of starch and some caffeine should not cost more that Kshs. 3. In fact we need to have 1 gram of rubbish instant coffee at Kshs. 1.

Counties can have laws say banning packaging of at least 20 gram should come into place and have such retail at Ksh. 20.

https://www.jumia.co.ke/instant-coffee-6213/

Robusta is been taken up very well in the local market. Given we have been tea lovers, the bitter taste of Robusta seems to be acceptable to our palates unlike the acidic Arabica.

With its cheap prices the Ugandan coffee is finding a market with the small processors.

90% of coffee consumed in kenya is instant coffee which is mainly made from Robusta coffee. Roasters like Gibson coffee buy Uganda robusta coffee, ships it to Eqypt for processing then  packs finished instant coffee to be sold locally. Arabica coffee is mainly for high end coffee shops and tourist market when tourism was booming.

[gout]

There is great potential away from the colonial compartmentalized agriculture. There has been coffee farming in Bungoma, Busia, Mt Elgon but there was no infrastructure development for pulping and probably the ease of getting cheaper coffee from Uganda since Chepkube days led to the neglect.

The clinging to the unprofitable colonial dictated farming zones shows the influence of government. I am sure the pronouncement by Ruto for RV maize farmers to shift to avocados will be evident and must be taking root.

I have heard West Pokot are planting coffee...anyway as Central move to real estate and high value crops - we need new areas to embrace coffee production - and they are many parts of rift valley - that should ditch useless maize for coffee. Elgeyo Marakwet would make a perfect replacement for all the Kiambu coffee being destroyed.

[RV Pundit]

Yes, it takes time, but counties now have agri, and they are pushing avacados, and the likes.

There is great potential away from the colonial compartmentalized agriculture. There has been coffee farming in Bungoma, Busia, Mt Elgon but there was no infrastructure development for pulping and probably the ease of getting cheaper coffee from Uganda since Chepkube days led to the neglect.

The clinging to the unprofitable colonial dictated farming zones shows the influence of government. I am sure the pronouncement by Ruto for RV maize farmers to shift to avocados will be evident and must be taking root.

I have heard West Pokot are planting coffee...anyway as Central move to real estate and high value crops - we need new areas to embrace coffee production - and they are many parts of rift valley - that should ditch useless maize for coffee. Elgeyo Marakwet would make a perfect replacement for all the Kiambu coffee being destroyed.