Uganda-China Coffee Tour 2025 brews investment hopes

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By John Musenze               (Courtesy photos: Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Uganda)

Coffee farmers in the heart of Uganda welcomed a high-powered delegation of Chinese investors, diplomats and agricultural experts on a journey uniting centuries-old cultivation with a rapidly expanding global market.

The visiting Chinese delegation marked the launch of the Coffee Awareness Tour, which kicked off on May 12 and will run until May 21, 2025.

The tour is jointly organised by the Ugandan Embassy in Beijing and the Ugandan Consulate in Guangzhou.

The 2025 Uganda-China Coffee Tour, now sweeping across key coffee-producing regions, is more than just a trade mission. It is a symbolic handshake between two nations, fuelled by the aroma of Robusta and Arabica beans and anchored in mutual ambition: Uganda seeks to scale its global coffee footprint, while China is awakening to a love for premium brews.

Ashiraf Ssekyayi, general manager of Kibinge Coffee, offered a tour that doubled as a story of transformation.

“From our humble beginnings in 1995 to becoming a regional leader, we’ve grown to over 2,400 active members,” he said.

“Fair Trade certification since 2012 has helped us produce more than 4,600 metric tonnes annually. But beyond production, we offer our farmers access to credit, quality seedlings, and training. Still, limited financing remains a barrier to even greater impact.”

The Chinese delegates paid a brief visit to the Sino-Uganda Mbale Industrial Park.

Uganda’s Ambassador to China, Oliver Wonekha, who hosted the delegation in Beijing, applauded Kibinge’s achievements and urged Chinese partners to invest more in Uganda’s coffee value chain.

“Kibinge shows the world that Uganda can deliver quality,” she said. “China’s expanding taste for coffee makes this a golden opportunity.”

That sentiment resonated again in Mbale, where the Bugisu Cooperative Union (BCU) took centre stage. Founded in 1954, BCU remains a proud beacon of Uganda’s Arabica legacy.

The Chinese delegation was welcomed with Bagisu song and dance as local farmers showcased their treasured beans, grown on the high-altitude ridges of Mt Elgon, nurtured by volcanic soil, and picked with precision.

James Wandera, BCU’s chairman, welcomed the delegation, saying the visit is not just a normal visit but an opener of Ugandan coffee to the borders of China.

“Our farmers put heart and soul into every cherry,” he said. “To see China’s growing interest is not just promising—it’s transformational.”

The delegation explored BCU’s processing facilities and later visited the Sino-Uganda Mbale Industrial Park, an emblem of deeper cooperation between the two countries.

The park hosts over 20 companies operating in agro-processing, logistics and manufacturing, offering potential platforms for Uganda’s coffee to be roasted, packaged and branded for global export—all without ever leaving African soil.

“This partnership is not only about trade,” Wonekha emphasised. “It’s about building friendships, empowering farmers, and strengthening our economic sovereignty.”

The tour’s cultural depth was mirrored by Uganda’s natural beauty. From the scenic Sipi Falls in Kapchorwa District to Queen Elizabeth National Park, the delegation witnessed how agriculture and conservation can co-exist.

The journey continued to Ntungamo district, where the Inspire Africa Coffee Park stood as a futuristic outpost—complete with demonstration labs, instant coffee production lines, and a resort to host visiting traders.

Drawing beans from Ankole, Kigezi and Rwenzori, the park positions itself as the future of Uganda’s coffee export economy.

The Uganda-China Coffee Tour 2025 marks a key initiative aimed at boosting bilateral trade, attracting investment, and cementing Uganda's reputation as a top-tier producer of Robusta and Arabica coffee.

The visitors also learned about the area’s rich cultural heritage and its significance in coffee cultivation, particularly the renowned Arabica coffee grown in the region.