Uganda coffee farmers unhappy over withdrawal from ICO
Uganda targets becoming the world’s third-largest exporter of coffee by 2025, by exporting about 20 million 60-kg bags, to put it behind Brazil (40.2 million bags) and Vietnam (26.4 million bags). PHOTO | FILE | NMG
Coffee farmers in Uganda are protesting the decision by authorities not to renew the country’s membership to the International Coffee Organisation (ICO) fearing they could lose premium markets for their beans but the government maintains it is negotiating better terms.
Uganda, which is currently Africa’s biggest coffee exporter, said recently that it will not renew its ICO membership over a series of “unreasonable articles” in the new two-year International Coffee Agreement issued to ICO member states.
