The Prime Minister (Katikiro) of the Buganda Kingdom, Charles Peter Mayiga, has urged coffee growers across the country to register with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) for continued access to the EU, the nation’s largest market.
The Katikiro made this call on Friday, September 6, 2024, during a meeting with the coffee stakeholders led by the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) to brief him on the steps undertaken to ensure compliance with the European Commission.
Mayiga said that the stakeholders must sensitize the farmers on the importance of registration.
“It is our duty to sensitize farmers that registration is for their good. Registration will ensure that our coffee is not barred from the EU market. It is not about coffee alone. There are other products affected by the EUDR law, like wood, cattle, soy, and palm oil,” Mayiga said.
According to Gerald Kyalo, Director of Development Services at UCDA, every kilogram of coffee supplied to the EU will be traced back to the producer.
“The law (EUDR) requires that we trace each kilogram of coffee exported to the EU back to the producer,” Kyalo said.
On December 5, 2022, the European Union (EU) Parliament approved the EU Regulation for Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR) to ensure supply chains remain free from products that cause deforestation.
The deforestation regulation will take effect on December 30, 2024, and requires that exporters of commodities such as coffee, cocoa, and their derivatives submit specific documentation to export to the EU market.
