Agric. & Environment
Coffee prices fall further in Ibanda as quality concerns persist
Arabica coffee averaged sh16,250 per kilogramme in Ibanda town and surrounding areas on September 2, down from about sh17,250 about two weeks earlier.
A farmer inspects coffee in a drying facility. Prices of coffee are still on a downward trend in Ibanda. (Photos by Stephen Nuwagira)
By: Stephen Nuwagira, Journalist @New Vision
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The poor quality of coffee beans currently coming to the market, low supplies and uncertainty in the market have continued to negatively impact prices in Ibanda district.
This is despite farmers’ optimism that prices, which have remained largely unstable over the past five weeks, would recover in the first part of September.
Arabica coffee averaged sh16,250 per kilogramme in Ibanda town and surrounding areas on September 2, down from about sh17,250 about two weeks earlier.
The robusta coffee variety ranged from sh11,000 to sh12,000 a kilo, compared with between sh12,500 and sh13,000 on August 18.
Geofrey Tukahirwa, a coffee dealer in Ibanda town, attributed the decrease to the low quality of coffee coming to the market, as well as low volumes and the bearish mood on the global market.
These factors are negatively affecting prices and pushing away bulk buyers.
The harvest season for Arabica coffee has just started, meaning the beans coming to the market are still of low quality.
Deogratias Tihwayo of Nyakatookye Coffee Cooperative Society in Kagongo division, Ibanda Municipality, recently tipped that quality and outturn will improve in the coming weeks as the harvest season progresses, boosting prices.
Geofrey Tukahirwa, a coffee dealer in Ibanda town, attributed the decrease to the low quality of coffee coming to the market, as well as low volumes and the bearish mood on the global market.
These factors are negatively affecting prices and pushing away bulk buyers.
The harvest season for Arabica coffee has just started, meaning the beans coming to the market are still of low quality.
Deogratias Tihwayo of Nyakatookye Coffee Cooperative Society in Kagongo division, Ibanda Municipality, recently tipped that quality and outturn will improve in the coming weeks as the harvest season progresses, boosting prices.
National
The agriculture ministry quoted Kiboko coffee at sh5,000-6,000 a kilo, while fair average quality (FAQ) ranged from sh12,000-13,000, Arabica parchment from sh16,000 to sh16,500, and Drugar coffee (clean) from sh15,500-16,000.
Global
Coffee prices settled lower on September 1, with Arabica falling to a one-month low and Robusta sliding to a 2.75-month low, according to Barchart, a global provider of real-time stock and commodities data.
December Arabica coffee closed down -2.05 (-0.66%) on September 1, while November ICE Robusta coffee closed down -68 (-1.93%), it showed.
The agriculture ministry quoted Kiboko coffee at sh5,000-6,000 a kilo, while fair average quality (FAQ) ranged from sh12,000-13,000, Arabica parchment from sh16,000 to sh16,500, and Drugar coffee (clean) from sh15,500-16,000.
Global
Coffee prices settled lower on September 1, with Arabica falling to a one-month low and Robusta sliding to a 2.75-month low, according to Barchart, a global provider of real-time stock and commodities data.
December Arabica coffee closed down -2.05 (-0.66%) on September 1, while November ICE Robusta coffee closed down -68 (-1.93%), it showed.