Govt to issue coffee export certificates for EU market in October

From October 15, 2025, the government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), will issue due diligence certificates to exporters of coffee to the European market.

This was revealed on August 12, 2025, by Rauben Keimusya, assistant commissioner in the Coffee Production Department at the agriculture ministry, during a multi-stakeholder dialogue on Uganda’s EUDR Risk Classification and Compliance Preparedness organised by SEATINI Uganda at Kabira Country Club in Bukoto.

He explained that since Uganda is classified as a standard-risk country under the EUDR, requiring full due diligence compliance, including providing reports for every coffee batch exported to the EU, the process of mapping 1.5 million coffee farmers has been completed.

Keimusya added that due diligence certificates for these farmers and their coffee will be issued to exporters to the European market starting from 15 October this year.

The certificates will detail the 1.5 million farmers who have been mapped and found to be compliant with the EUDR regulations.

According to the agriculture ministry, the regulation requires exporters of commodities such as coffee, cocoa and their derivatives to submit specific documents to access the EU market. It also stipulates that coffee planted on deforested land after December 2020 will not be allowed into the EU.

The European Commission states that the regulation is part of a plan to tackle deforestation, first outlined in the 2019 Commission Communication on Stepping up EU Action to Protect and Restore the World’s Forests, and later confirmed by the European Green Deal, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the Farm to Fork Strategy.

The Commission adds that the main driver of deforestation is the expansion of agricultural land linked to the production of commodities such as cattle, wood, cocoa, soy, palm oil, coffee, rubber and some of their derived products, including leather, chocolate, tyres and furniture.

This is why the government of Uganda decided to adhere to the regulations to protect the EU market for Uganda’s coffee. The deadline for compliance is December 30.

According to Jane Nalunga, Uganda is the continent’s leading coffee exporter, with the sector supporting over 12 million Ugandans and approximately 1.8 million farming households. Uganda’s coffee is primarily exported to the European Union, with Italy alone accounting for over 39% of total coffee exports.

On February 19, 2024, coffee was identified as a strategic commodity by the African Union Heads of State during the 37th AU Summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

This declaration aims to unlock Africa’s potential in coffee production through economic empowerment and competitiveness.

In June 2023, the EU adopted the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) to ensure that products sold within or exported to the EU do not contribute to global deforestation or forest degradation.

“The European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is a significant concern, with Uganda being classified as a standard risk country, requiring full due diligence for coffee exports,” added Jane Nalunga, executive director of SEATINI Uganda.