Overview:
Uganda's coffee exports surged 33% in value to $185.56M in October, fueled by strong Robusta performance and ongoing harvests.
KAMPALA – Uganda’s coffee exports saw a significant jump in October, with the value of shipments rising 33% year-on-year to hit $185.56m (£149.3m).
The country exported 685,720 60kg bags of coffee, a 38% increase in quantity compared with October 2024.
The rise has been attributed to higher output, as the harvest gained momentum in the country’s Central and Eastern regions. Improved global market prices also contributed to the high earnings, sparked by weather-related issues in rival producing nations such as Brazil, Vietnam and those in Central America.
The average export price for the month was $4.51 per kilogram. While this was a 20-cent increase from the $4.31 registered in September, it was still 16 cents lower than the $4.67 per kilogram achieved in October 2024.
The bulk of the exports was Robusta coffee, which made up 87% of the total shipments. Robusta exports reached 597,925 bags, valued at $151.51m. The volume of Robusta rose 31% and its value was up 19% year-on-year. The average Robusta price stood at $4.22 per kilogram.
Arabica coffee saw the most dramatic proportional increase, with its quantity surging 117% and its value jumping 182% compared to the previous year. Arabica exports totaled 87,795 bags, earning $34.04m at an average price of $6.46 per kilogram.
Looking at the longer term, coffee exports for the 12 months leading up to October 2025 reached 8.4 million bags, valued at $2.4bn. This represents a 77.33% increase in value from the preceding year.
Europe remained the main destination for Ugandan coffee, importing 63% of the total volume. Italy held the largest market share at 26.22%, followed by Germany (10.67%) and Algeria (7.49%). Exports to African countries accounted for a 16% market share, totalling 108,540 bags.
Ugacof (U) Ltd. was the leading exporter for the month with a 12.44% market share, and the top foreign buyer was Sucafina SA, holding 14.22% of the market.
For November 2025, Uganda’s coffee exports are projected to be around 550,000 60kg bags.