Ugandan coffee exports rose in May due to a successful main harvest in Masaka and the south-western regions, the Uganda Coffee Development Authority said in a recent statement.
Ugandan farmers exported 793,445 bags of coffee beans, each weighing 60 kilograms, last month — a 43.6 per cent increase on the same month last year. In April, coffee exports increased 75.8 per cent year on year to 687,899 bags.
Related: Merchandise trade deficit slows down in April on stronger exports
The coffee was exported at an average price of $5.12 per kilogram. This is 3 US cents lower than April 2025’s price of $5.15 per kilogram, but $1.29 higher than May 2024’s price of $3.83 per kilogram. This represented a 43.6 per cent increase in quantity and a 91.9 per cent increase in value compared to the same month last year, according to the UCDA statement.
“Coffee exports for twelve months (June 2024-May 2025) totalled 7.4mn bags worth $2.1bn compared to 6.1mn bags worth $1.1bn in the previous year (June 2023-May 2024). This represents an increase of 22.2 per cent and 93.6 per cent in quantity and value respectively,” UCDA added.
Coffee exports in May 2025 “comprised of 691,176 bags of robusta [coffee beans] valued at $203.5mn and 102,269 bags of arabica [coffee beans] valued at $40.5mn. This was an increase of 43.6 per cent and 91.9 per cent in quantity and value respectively compared to the same month last year.”
Overall, receipts from coffee exports for the month totalled $244mn (Shs869.9bn).
Although Ethiopia grows more of the crop, Uganda is Africa’s biggest coffee exporter. However, Uganda mainly grows and exports robusta coffee, while Ethiopia mostly grows arabica coffee beans, which are more expensive.
