The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
While there was an extra increase in export volumes, most of the increase in earnings was due to the rising coffee prices on the global market, as global production continues to be suppressed.
In volume terms, a total of 7.17 million bags of 60 kilograms each were exported by Uganda between May 2024 and April 2025, 5.9 million bags, a 21.7 percent increase compared to the same period the previous year.
According to the Coffee Production and Development Department at the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, monthly exports in April 2025 amounted to 694,318 bags of 60 kilograms each, showing a 77.44% increase from April 2024. The month registered earnings of 214.38 Million Dollars, which was 152.56 percent higher than in the same month of the previous year.
The high earnings on the international market are attributed to the low supply over the last year, amidst harsh weather conditions, mainly in Brazil and Vietnam, the largest coffee-producing countries. The effect is low production and exports, which have seen other countries like Uganda take advantage of the resultant high prices.
Coffee price boom
In April this year, Uganda’s coffee sold at an average of 5.15 dollars per kilogram, up by 1 US cent from 5.14 dollars in March 2025. It was even a lot higher than the 3.62 dollars per kilogram in April 2024. Sustainable Arabica had the highest price at 8.70 dollars per kilogram.
The monthly coffee export volume was higher than the previous year on account of a good crop from the main harvest in Masaka and Southwestern regions, according to the department’s report.
On the local scene, farm-gate prices for Robusta Kiboko averaged 7,200 Shillings per kilogram, while FAQ (Fair Average Quality) sold for 14,500 Shillings per kilogram.
Arabica parchment went for 14,800 Shillings per kilogram and Drugar 14,000. A total of 75 companies were involved in coffee exports, but 10 of them exported 68.43 percent of the total volumes. Robusta coffee continued to dominate the exports with 594,188 bags valued at 177.08 Million Dollars, while Arabica accounted for 100,130 bags valued at 37.30 million.
This shows that robusta volumes increased by 104.63 percent while the value rose by 187.61 percent over the April 2024 figures. On the other hand, Arabica exports decreased by 0.8 percent in quantity but increased by 60 percent in value.
Exports by Destination
Uganda’s major coffee export destination during the month of April 2025 was Italy, with the market share of 42.02 which increased from 38.43 percent last month. It was followed by Germany with 11.3 percent, which was up from 6.89 percent, and Spain, whose share rose to 7.46 percent from 6.06 percent.
The others were India with 6.79 percent and Sudan, both registering lower market shares than previously. This sows the increasing importance of the European Union as a coffee export destination for Uganda and highlights the fears of a possible disruption but to the impending EU Deforestation Regulations that are due to come into force after December 31 this year.
Coffee exports to African countries totaled 76,467 bags, a market share of 11 percent compared to 69,052 bags in the previous month. African countries that imported Uganda coffee included Sudan, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa.
