Uganda’s Coffee Exports Soar to Record Highs in April 2025, Earnings More Than Double

Uganda’s coffee exports experienced an unprecedented surge in April 2025, with earnings more than doubling compared to the same period last year. This remarkable performance, driven by a robust harvest and highly favourable global prices, underscores a buoyant period for the East African nation’s vital agricultural sector.

According to the latest monthly report from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Uganda exported an impressive 694,318 60-kilogram bags of coffee in April, valued at a staggering US$214.38 million. This translates to approximately 780.24 billion Ugandan Shillings (UGX).

The figures represent a substantial 152.56% increase in value and a 77.44% rise in quantity compared to April 2024. The average export price also climbed, reaching US$5.15 per kilogram in April 2025, a slight increase from March 2025 and a significant US$1.53 jump from April 2024.

For the entire coffee year spanning May 2024 to April 2025, Uganda’s coffee exports reached 7.17 million bags, generating US$1.97 billion (approximately 7.17 trillion UGX). This marks a remarkable 94.64% increase in value and a 21.70% increase in quantity over the previous coffee year (May 2023-April 2024), which saw exports of 5.90 million bags valued at US$1.01 billion.

The exceptional growth in export volume is primarily attributed to a strong crop yield from the main harvest in the Masaka and southwestern regions. Complementing this domestic success were high global coffee prices, fueled by dry weather conditions in Brazil and Vietnam, the world’s largest producers of Arabica and Robusta coffee, respectively. This created uncertainty in global supply, contributing significantly to Uganda’s increased earnings.

Robusta coffee dominated April’s exports, accounting for 594,188 bags valued at US$177.08 million (approximately 644.57 billion UGX). Robusta exports saw an extraordinary 187.61% increase in value and a 104.63% increase in quantity compared to April 2024. Arabica exports, while smaller in volume at 100,130 bags, still generated US$37.30 million (approximately 135.81 billion UGX), experiencing a 60% increase in value despite a minor 0.8% decrease in quantity year-on-year.

Europe remained the premier destination for Ugandan coffee, absorbing 71% of the total imports. Italy maintained its position as the largest market, accounting for 42.02%, followed by Germany (11.30%), Spain (7.46%), India (6.79%), and Sudan (4.72%). African countries collectively represented an 11% market share.

Ugacof (U) Ltd. emerged as the leading exporter in April 2025, securing a 12.58% market share. The top 10 exporters collectively held 68.43% of the total volume, a slight increase from March 2025, indicating continued strong competition among exporters in the vibrant Ugandan coffee sector.