Annual
coffee exports registered a 31.89 per cent and 59.16 per cent increase in
quantity and cash value respectively, the latest Uganda Coffee Development
Authority (UCDA) report has revealed.
The
UCDA monthly report for August 2017 indicates that “Coffee Exports for 12
months – September 2016 to August 2017
totalled to 4.47 million bags valued at USD 530 million (about UGX 1.908
trillion) compared to the 3.39 million bags worth USD 333 million (about UGX
1.199 trillion) exported in the corresponding period the previous year.”
The
growth was supported by a strong performance of Robusta coffee, whose exports
increased by 56.21 per cent. Arabica coffee exports on the other hand declined
by 22.43 per cent.
This
recent boom came at the back of deliberate government investments into the
plantation of more coffee seeds coupled with among others Trade Facilitation
initiatives such as the 2016 roll-out of the Uganda Electronic Single Window
(UESW), a paperless platform that leverages technology to facilitate private
sector trade. The system allows for electronic submission of information,
documentations and processing of import, export & transit related trade
documents and requests.
In
an email exchange recently, Laura Walusimbi, the UCDA corporate communications
manager noted that the increase in coffee export is as a result of government’s
intervention slightly over three years ago to plant more coffee seedlings and
facilitation of coffee trade.
“The
57.4 million coffee seedlings planted in 2013/14 are now starting to yield.
This was almost triple the 19.6 million seedlings that were planted in
2012/13,” she noted.
Further
still, the recent introduction of the UESW has fostered compliance and
facilitated the sector.
The
latest UESW Performance Report, released in the first week of October 2017,
during the Project Implementation Team (PIT) meeting convened by the Ministry
of Trade at Imperial Golf View Hotel, Entebbe showed that by end of August
2017, the electronic single window portal had already processed and cleared
more than 12,000 Coffee Export Permits through the system.
Addressing
other partners at the PIT meeting, Mutebi Tobias William, the UESW Acting
Project Manager stated that since the deployment and integration of the
electronic single window with UCDA systems, a lot of progress has been made,
highlighted by thousands of coffee export permits issued.
“Coffee
Export permits after being approved by UCDA are being exchanged electronically
with other regulatory agencies such as URA through the UESW. Coffee exporters
now use the system for application for the of certificates which are being
issued electronically by UCDA through the single window. In practice when an
exporter is issued with the certificate, the system automatically submits a
copy to the UESW system and the Customs system for export declaration
processing of the declaration without necessarily waiting for submission of the
same by the exporter. Note that when a declaration is made, the certificate is
written off automatically by the UESW,” Mr Mutebi noted, adding;
“13,279
certificates have so far been received by URA successfully through the Single
Window. 12,121 certificates have been cleared through customs and written off
by export declaration.”
This
development was further supported by Doreen Rose Rweihangwe, the UCDA Quality
Assurance Manager who during this same PIT meeting noted that although the
electronic single window portal is new, document processing has been made
faster and captures more trade data at record speeds. She further encouraged
other institutions who are not yet in the system to get integrated into the
system, plus calling upon the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives to
expedite rollout of the electronic single window to other regulatory
institutions
“With
the manual system, a trader usually spends about four days chasing after
clearances from different offices including UCDA, clearing agent and customs
unit. However, with the electronic single window, this process is now completed
within one day.”
Damali
Ssali, the Senior Programme Manager at TradeMark East Africa noted that the
Uganda Electronic Single Window, funded by Danish International Development
Agency (DANIDA) through TradeMark East Africa, is coordinated by Ministry of
Trade and implemented by Uganda Revenue Authority. It brings together more than
20 government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) involved directly and
indirectly in International Trade including those involved in the import and
export document process of goods and services.
“The
electronic single window has already started to benefit Ugandan coffee
exporters through the reduction in transaction costs and time. We expect the
same benefits to accrue to everyone in the trading community as we get more
agencies integrated onto the electronic single window system,” Damali Ssali
said.
So
far, URA, UNBS, NDA, UCDA, UEPB, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, and Ministry of Energy are already using this online portal while
development of related interfaces for rollout to others continue to be
undertaken by the PIT in coordination by MTIC
The
system guarantees faster clearance of cargo, less transaction costs, no
paperwork, limited physical interactions thus reduced bribery and convenient
E-tracking of goods.
This
was emphasised by the theme of the PIT meeting “BIG BUSINESS ENDLESS
POSSIBILITIES”. With this theme, Francis Kolou, the UESW Coordinator in the
trade ministry assured the meeting of government support to trade facilitation
initiatives and commitment to roll out the electronic single window to other
institutions. He further called upon the private sector to take advantage of
the opportunities that the platform provides.
“The
Ministry is confident that the electronic single window system is fundamental
in implementation of other related projects jointly implemented by TradeMark
East Africa and the Government of Uganda such as the One Stop Border Posts at
Busia, Mutukula, Mirama Hills, the Electronic Cargo Tracking System, the
Authorised Economic Operators Initiative, and the Non-Tariff Barriers Reporting
System among others.”
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