Uganda’s coffee export earnings jump by 153% in a year

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Uganda’s export earnings from coffee surged by $129.69 million (sh769 billion), representing a 153.1% increase over the past 12 months, according to the latest official figures.

The Ministry of Finance’s Performance of the Economy report for May 2025 shows that earnings rose from $84.70 million in April 2024 to $214.38 million in April 2025.

This growth was attributed to both higher international coffee prices and increased export volumes.

Global coffee prices rose by 42.3%, from $3.62/kg in April 2024 to $5.15/kg in April 2025. The rise was largely due to dry conditions in Brazil and Vietnam, the world’s leading producers of Arabica and Robusta coffee, which created uncertainty in global coffee supply.

Uganda’s export volumes increased from 391,307 to 694,318 sixty-kilogram bags, driven by higher yields for both Robusta and Arabica coffee. This performance partly reflects the Government’s strategic efforts to boost coffee production.

Month-on-month, coffee export earnings increased by 7.9% in April 2025, from $198.62 million to $214.38 million. This was mainly due to increased export volumes, supported by a good harvest from the Masaka and South-Western regions.

Italy remained Uganda’s largest coffee market, accounting for 42.0% of total exports in April 2025. Other major markets included Germany (11.3%), Spain (7.4%), India (6.8%) and Sudan (4.7%).

Uganda is the leading coffee exporting country in Africa after Ethiopia. It is renowned for its production of Robusta coffee, which makes up about 80% of its total output, with Arabica accounting for the remaining 20%.