Uganda’s exports up by 24.3% in one year, report shows
The Ministry of Finance’s performance of the economy report for May 2026 shows that exports amounted to $1.401.11 million (about sh5.254 trillion), up from $1,126.93 million (about sh4.16 trillion) in April last year.
A month-on-month analysis shows that overall export earnings declined by 2.4% from $1,435.15 million in March 2026 to $1,401.11 million in April 2026.
KAMPALA - Uganda recorded a 24.3% year-on-year increase in export earnings in April 2026 compared to the same period last year.
The Ministry of Finance’s performance of the economy report for May 2026 shows that exports amounted to $1.401.11 million (about sh5.254 trillion), up from $1,126.93 million (about sh4.16 trillion) in April last year.
The $274.18 million increase in export earnings was mainly driven by higher revenues from gold, base metals and related products, electricity, oil re-exports, cement, crude oil (excluding petroleum products), cotton, beans, hides and skins, among others.
Export earnings from gold increased by 87.1%, rising from $462.86 million in April 2025 to $866.10 million in April 2026, driven by higher export volumes and rising global prices.
Conversely, Uganda’s earnings from coffee declined year-on-year to $150.81 million in April 2026, from $214.38 million in April 2025.
The decline in coffee export value is attributed to lower export volumes and reduced prices per kilogram. The quantity fell from 687,299 sixty-kilogram bags in April 2025 to 591,687 sixty-kilogram bags in April 2026, while prices dropped from $5.15 per kilogram to $4.25 over the same period.
Similarly, coffee earnings also declined on a month-on-month basis due to lower export volumes and falling prices per kilogram.
Coffee prices continue to decline in line with global trends, driven by improved supply conditions following increased output from Vietnam, Indonesia and Ethiopia.
A month-on-month analysis shows that overall export earnings declined by 2.4% from $1,435.15 million in March 2026 to $1,401.11 million in April 2026.