Arabica coffee prices ease as harvest season nears end in Ibanda

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Arabica coffee prices have remained range-bound in Ibanda as the crop’s season nears its end. Traders in Ibanda town quoted Arabica coffee at sh17,000 per kilogramme compared to sh18,500 on October 28, 2025. 

The beans (clean) are selling at sh17,500 per kilogramme at Bisheshe Coffee Produce Association (BICOPA) in Bisheshe Division, Ibanda Municipality, down from sh18,000.

This is, however, higher than the sh16,500 the beans cost on October 1, but lower than the sh18,000 paid to farmers during the first week of September.

Robusta coffee prices remain unchanged at sh13,500 per kilogramme in Ibanda, although this marks a drop compared to sh14,300 recorded by Monday's close, according to traders.

The Robusta coffee harvest season is just beginning in Ibanda and is expected to peak in late November before ending around January or February, while that of Arabica coffee ends in November.

Traders attributed the decline largely to market forces. Deogratias Tihwayo, a coffee dealer in Ibanda town, added that some of the big buyers from Kampala, like Olam, were out of the market, hurting demand for the beans.

“For Robusta coffee, farmers have been selling old stock, and what is coming to market is not of good quality,” said Tihwayo. 

However, Patience Katungye Akampa, a member of BICOPA cooperative, projects that prices are expected to recover in the coming weeks as quality beans reach the market. She explained that the group always gives farmers better rates for their coffee compared to what other dealers offer.