Available
Uganda · Masaka & Greater Lake Victoria
- Species
- Robusta
- Process
- Natural
- Grade
- Screen 15
- Screen
- 15+
- Crop
- 2025/26
- Quantity
- Multi-container programme
Uganda · Grade
Uganda Robusta Screen 18
Screen 18 is the Ugandan Robusta grade most often requested by name and the one with the largest price consequence. This page covers when it is worth it.
- Species
- Robusta · Arabica
- Preparation
- Natural (Robusta) · Washed Arabica (WUGAR)
- Harvest
- Robusta main crop November–February with a fly crop April–July; Elgon Arabica October–February
Quick answer
Uganda Robusta Screen 18 is natural Robusta screened so the parcel is retained above an 18/64 inch perforation — approximately 7.14 mm. It is the largest routinely traded Ugandan Robusta size class, and it is a size specification only.
Contract on: region · grade · screen · process · crop · moisture · defect tolerance · cup approval.
Request current uganda robusta screen 18The specification
- Screen
- 18/64 inch = 7.14 mm
- Species / process
- Robusta, natural (dry-processed)
- Origin
- Lake Victoria basin, Masaka and central Uganda
- Typical moisture
- Contracted around 12–13%
- Packaging
- 60 kg jute
- Port
- Mombasa or Dar es Salaam
When screen 18 is worth the differential
- 1Roast uniformity on a tight profile. Large, evenly sized beans absorb heat predictably.
- 2Visual match in a blend. Where the Robusta component must look consistent alongside the Arabica in the bag or hopper.
- 3Customer or private-label specification. Where screen 18 is contractually required rather than chosen.
- 4Not a reason: a belief that larger Robusta is better Robusta. It is not — see coffee bean size.
What it costs in outturn
Screen 18 is the top of the size distribution, so it is a minority of any crop. Pulling a screen 18 parcel removes volume from the screen 15 block that would otherwise have absorbed it, and the differential reflects that scarcity rather than a quality difference.
- In a season where the crop ran small, screen 18 may not be fillable at the volume required.
- Where uniformity rather than maximum size is the real need, a 16/17 band is often cheaper and roasts just as evenly.
- Screen 15 supports much larger programmes at a materially lower price.
The contract
The screen does not constrain defects or moisture
A screen 18 parcel can still be defective, wet or full of foreign matter. The defect basis, moisture ceiling and foreign matter limit have to be written explicitly — they are what actually protects you.
- Screen
- Retained on 18, maximum X% passing
- Defects
- Maximum total, black and broken capped separately
- Moisture
- Ceiling plus method and instrument
- Foreign matter
- Maximum, stones counted separately
- Crop year and cycle
- Main crop or fly crop
- Sampling
- Method for drawing the pre-shipment sample
Screen 18 enquiries
Tell us the volume and shipment window. We will confirm whether the current crop supports the size class at that quantity.
Request Current Crop OfferLast reviewed 2 min read
The distinction that matters
What this grade does not tell you
A grade is a preparation class. Everything below is a separate contract field, and every one of them moves independently of the grade name.
What it does fix
Uganda Robusta Screen 18 encodes
- Bean size, as the screen the Robusta parcel is retained on
- Preparation method, through the WUGAR and DRUGAR designations
- For Bugisu, the size separation within a washed Elgon preparation
- For FAQ, that the parcel is unsized and sold on a stated defect basis
Use the grade to define the physical deliverable. Use the approved sample to define the cup. Both belong in the contract.
What it does not
Specify these separately
- Cup qualityTwo lots at the same grade from the same mill can cup several points apart. Only cupping tells you.
- Defect countA separate count on a defined sample, against a weighting table that differs by origin.
- MoistureA range plus the measurement method. Two meters on one parcel routinely disagree.
- Crop yearNothing in a grade name distinguishes current crop from a parcel that has been in store a year.
- DensityBulk density in g/L, which drives charge temperature and roast planning.
- Water activityStorage stability. Related to moisture but not derivable from it.
- TraceabilityCountry, station or day lot are different claims. A grade fixes none of them.
- Processing methodWashed, natural and honey can all carry the same grade at most origins.
Availability
Current Uganda Robusta Screen 18
Availability moves with the harvest, with milling and with prior commitments. Everything here is confirmed against the current crop on enquiry.
Available
Uganda · Masaka & Greater Lake Victoria
- Species
- Robusta
- Process
- Natural
- Grade
- Screen 18
- Screen
- 18+
- Crop
- 2025/26
- Quantity
- 3 × 20ft
LimitedSpecialty
Uganda · Bugisu (Mount Elgon)
- Species
- Arabica
- Process
- Fully washed
- Grade
- Bugisu AA
- Screen
- 18+
- Crop
- 2025/26
- Quantity
- 1 × 20ft
Baked apple · Cane sugar · Cedar
Upcoming crop
Uganda · West Nile (Okoro)
- Species
- Arabica
- Process
- Natural (DRUGAR)
- Grade
- DRUGAR screen 15+
- Screen
- 15+
- Crop
- 2025/26
- Quantity
- 1 × 20ft
Dried fig · Spice · Cocoa
Quality
Quality evaluation
Every parcel runs the same sequence before it is offered and again before it is loaded. What is reported for a given lot depends on what the buyer specifies.
- 01Physical gradePreparation class against the origin’s own system
- 02Screen distributionRetention plus the percentage passing
- 03Defect analysisFull defects per 300 g on a stated weighting table
- 04MoistureRange plus the measurement method and instrument
- 05Water activityWhere the buyer specifies it, for storage stability
- 06DensityBulk density in g/L, for roast planning
- 07Sample roastTo a cupping profile, not a commercial roast
- 08CuppingMultiple cups, against the approved sample
- 09Buyer approvalThe retained sample the shipment is measured against
Crop
Uganda crop calendar
Flowering, harvest, processing, milling and the export window. Regional cycles differ, so this is not one universal season.
Robusta — central, south and Masaka (main crop)
Crop year commonly quoted October–September
Stage
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Flowering
Cherry development
Harvest
Processing & drying
Dry milling & grading
Main export window
- Flowering: Feb–Apr
- Cherry development: Apr–Oct
- Harvest: Nov–Feb
- Processing & drying: Nov–Mar
- Dry milling & grading: Dec–Apr
- Main export window: Dec–Jun
The main Robusta crop supplies the bulk of Ugandan export volume.
Robusta — fly crop (western and lakeshore)
Crop year commonly quoted October–September
Stage
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Flowering
Cherry development
Harvest
Processing & drying
Dry milling & grading
Main export window
- Flowering: Aug–Oct
- Cherry development: Oct–Mar
- Harvest: Apr–Jul
- Processing & drying: Apr–Aug
- Dry milling & grading: May–Sep
- Main export window: May–Oct
The second, smaller cycle keeps Ugandan Robusta available for most of the year.
Arabica — Mount Elgon (Bugisu)
Crop year commonly quoted October–September
Stage
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Flowering
Cherry development
Harvest
Processing & drying
Dry milling & grading
Main export window
- Flowering: Feb–Apr
- Cherry development: Apr–Sep
- Harvest: Oct–Feb
- Processing & drying: Oct–Mar
- Dry milling & grading: Nov–Apr
- Main export window: Dec–Jul
Arabica — West Nile (Okoro) and Kigezi
Crop year commonly quoted October–September
Stage
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Flowering
Cherry development
Harvest
Processing & drying
Dry milling & grading
Main export window
- Flowering: Jan–Mar
- Cherry development: Mar–Jul
- Harvest: Aug–Nov
- Processing & drying: Aug–Dec
- Dry milling & grading: Oct–Feb
- Main export window: Oct–Apr
West Nile picks earlier than Elgon, which is what makes DRUGAR available ahead of the washed Elgon crop.
Export
Packing and export
- Ports of loading
- Mombasa (Northern Corridor), Dar es Salaam (Central Corridor)
- Bag standard
- 60 kg jute; Robusta also moves in bulk-lined containers
- Export window
- Year-round, with the heaviest Robusta shipments December–April
- Incoterms
- FOB · CFR · CIF
Compare
Against the other East African origins
Grade designations do not translate between origins, and harvest windows barely overlap. This is how the region compares at a glance.
| Origin | Species | Main preparation | Representative grades | Harvest | Ports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tanzania | Arabica · Robusta | Fully washed · Natural | AA · A · AB · B | June–October in the south; July–December in the north | Dar es Salaam · Tanga |
| Kenya | Arabica | Fully washed with soak · Mbuni (natural) | E · AA · AB · PB | Main crop October–December; early (fly) crop May–July | Mombasa |
| Ethiopia | Arabica | Fully washed · Natural (sun-dried) | Grade 1 · Grade 2 · Grade 3 · Grade 4 | October–January, varying by region and altitude | Djibouti (primary transit port) |
| Rwanda | Arabica | Fully washed · Natural (growing) | Grade 1 (fully washed) · Grade 2 · Screen 15+ · Screen 16+ | March–July, with the peak in April and May | Mombasa (Northern Corridor) · Dar es Salaam (Central Corridor) |
| Burundi | Arabica | Fully washed with soak · Natural (limited) | Grade A · Grade B · Screen 15+ · Screen 16+ | March–July | Dar es Salaam (Central Corridor) · Mombasa (Northern Corridor) |
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How many millimetres is Ugandan Robusta screen 18?
Approximately 7.14 mm — an 18/64 inch perforation.
Is screen 18 Robusta better quality than screen 15?
No. It is a larger bean from the same crop. The differential reflects scarcity of the size class. If uniformity is the goal rather than maximum size, a tighter band lower down the ladder is often better value.
Can screen 18 be supplied in multi-container volumes?
It depends on the season. Screen 18 is the top of the size distribution and therefore a minority of any crop. Screen 15 supports much larger programmes.
Request an offer
Tell us the Uganda coffee you need
Region, process, grade, screen, moisture, defect tolerance, crop year, packaging and destination. Send what you know and we will confirm what Uganda realistically supports for the current crop.