April coffee exports revenue hits record $1.97 billion

With global demand remaining strong and prices favorable, the outlook for Uganda’s coffee industry remains bright.
Coffee remains Uganda’s most reliable source of foreign exchange, with the latest report from the Coffee Development Department revealing significant growth in both export volume and earnings.
According to the April 2025 Coffee Report, Uganda exported 7.17 million 60-kilogram bags of coffee worth US$1.97 billion (Shs 7.6 trillion) between May 2024 and April 2025.
This reflects a 21.7% increase in quantity and a massive 94.6% rise in value compared to the 5.90 million bags worth US$1.01 billion exported the previous year.
- In April. the country exported 694,318 bags of coffee, generating US$214.38 million (UGX827 billion) in revenue at an average price of US$5.15 per kilo.
This was one US cent higher than the March 2025 average and US$1.53 higher than April 2024’s price of US$3.62 per kilo.
“The value of coffee exports was higher due to the high global coffee prices as dry conditions in Brazil and Vietnam, the world’s largest producers of Arabica and Robusta coffee respectively, continue to fuel uncertainty of the global coffee supply,” the report reads in part.
- Sustainable Arabica recorded the highest international price, averaging US$8.70 per kilo. Meanwhile, farmers in Uganda enjoyed improved farm-gate prices: Robusta Kiboko was sold at UGX7,200 per kilo, FAQ at UGX14,500, Arabica parchment at UGX14,800, and Drugar at UGX14,000 per kilo.
Uganda’s coffee continued to perform strongly in Europe, which accounted for 71% of total exports in April. Italy was the largest buyer, importing 42.02% of the coffee, followed by Germany (11.3%), Spain (7.46%), India (6.79%), and Sudan (4.72%).
On the export front, Ugacof (U) Ltd maintained the lead with a 12.58% market share, trailed by Export Trading Company (7%), Ideal Quality Commodities (6.89%), and Olam Uganda (6.7%).
In total, the top ten exporters accounted for 68.43% of Uganda’s coffee exports in April, slightly up from 68% in March.
Among international buyers, Sucafina emerged as the top foreign importer with a 12.67% share, ahead of Louis Dreyfus (8.61%), Olam International (7.13%), and Ecom Agro Industrialist (6.44%).
- Looking to the future, coffee exports are projected at 680,000 60-kilogram bags in May 2025 as the main harvest season in Greater Masaka and the fly crop north of the equator gets underway.
- Uganda’s coffee sector continues to be a vital pillar of the economy, supporting millions of households and contributing significantly to the country’s foreign earnings. With global demand remaining strong and prices favorable, the outlook for Uganda’s coffee industry remains bright.
Despite several challenges facing the coffee value chain, the growth in coffee exports remains a cornerstone of Uganda's development strategy, with ongoing efforts to enhance productivity, quality, and sustainability to maximize the crop’s economic benefits.