(Ecofin Agency) - On Feb. 20, 2018, Uganda launched the first electronic auction of its coffee, Bloomberg reports.

According to Martin Maraka, the program manager at the African Fine Coffees Association, this approach will involve 10 countries including Australia, U.S, some Asian and European nations and two African countries. The 3-days auction will become an annual event.

The main challenge for the country is to boost the quality of its Arabica variety, to meet standards of specialty coffee roasters such as U.S Starbucks, the world's leading coffee distributor. 

“Uganda hasn’t been seen as a home for high quality coffee. The auction will encourage quality as it will be rewarded highly,” Martin Maraka said.

Besides this event, the official said that the country would carry out, by mid-July, tests of Robusta variety to showcase its quality and dispel the idea that it should only be used in blending.

Let’s recall that Uganda produces 80% Robusta and 20% of Arabica.   

Espoir Olodo