UCDA: EU to Only Accept Coffee Exports From Registered Farmers

Uganda’s coffee exports face challenges due to EU demands for exports to be from registered farmers, as the country’s coffee chain may not meet the registration requirements. The Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) has stated that registration of all farmers must be completed by December 2021, as the deadline for all coffee exports to be from registered farmers is January 2025. The EU has asked Uganda’s coffee subsector to register everyone along the value chain, enabling market authorities to monitor product standards. The issue of traceability has been a prominent concern, with coffee dealers and legislators blaming the government for delaying it. The EU wants this implemented to help the region determine if coffee imported from Uganda does not violate values like environmental and human rights. The issues of registration and traceability have been discussed and even put in the National Coffee Act 2021, long before the EU directive. The EU-EAC Economic Partnership Agreement is the most significant Free Trade Agreement that would provide duty-free, quota-free market access to the EU. The report recommends protection of the EAC Policy Space, increased production and productivity at all levels, participation in global value chains, and removal of internal trade barriers.

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