Game of numbers: Foreign companies buying the largest share of Uganda’s coffee 

It is Uganda’s second most valuable export after gold, which contributes at least 40 percent or more of the country’s foreign exchange earnings.

Uganda has, in the last 10 years, exported an average of 4.894 million 60-kilogramme bags of coffee.

However, export volumes have grown from about 3.24 million 60-kilogramme bags in June 2015 to about 6.12 million 60-kilogramme bags in the 12 months to June 2024.

Equally, earnings have grown exponentially, increasing by 64.98 percent in the 10 years to June 2024 from $400.49m in 2015 to $1.14b.

What is the latest?

Latest data indicates a sustained increase in both volumes and values.

According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture published last Friday, coffee exports for the 12 months to March 2025 rose to 6.87 million 60-kilogramme bags worth $1.84b, which was a 14.86 percent and 84.12 percent increase in both quantity and value, respectively. Data further shows that in the same period last year – between April 2023 and March 2024 – export volumes stood at 6.99 million 60-kilogramme bags worth $999.48m.

Month-on-month data

In March, Ministry of Agriculture data shows, 642,981 60-kilogramme bags were exported at a value of $198.62m, with each kilogramme earning an average price of $5.15, which was US cents 12 higher than $5.03 in February.

The $5.15 was also $1.88 higher than the $3.27 per kilogramme earned in March 2024, which represented a price rise of 63.49 percent.

Europe remained the main destination for Uganda’s coffees with a 63 percent share, which was, however, lower than the 74 percent recorded in February.

While Europe remained dominant, exports to African countries rose slightly to 69,052 60-kilogramme bags, which represented a market share of 11 percent from 10 percent or 53,720 60-kilogramme bags in February. 

In Europe, Italy continues to be the leading destination, taking at least 38.43 percent of exported coffee in March. However, this was a reduction from the 45.17 percent share in February.

Italy is followed by India (8.92 percent), whose market share rose slightly from 8.36 percent in February.

Germany, which experienced a decline from 8.71 percent in February, comes in closely with a 6.89 percent market share, followed by Spain with a market share of 6.06 percent, which was a decline from 11.9 percent.

Exports to African countries were largely dominated by Sudan, which, at 5.72 percent market share, though a decrease from 6.17 percent, was the largest market for Uganda’s coffee.

Sudan is followed by Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, and Kenya.

The 10 countries above were in March Uganda’s major destinations for coffee exports, taking up at least 85.06 percent of the country’s export volumes, which was, however, a slight decline from 89.32 percent in February.

Biggest buyers

Ministry of Agriculture data shows that coffee sales continue to be dominated by companies that have traditionally traded in Uganda’s coffee for decades.

During March, for instance, Sucafina, a Geneva, Switzerland-based multinational coffee merchant, was the largest buyer of Uganda’s coffee.

The company bought at least 12.4 percent of the exported volumes in the month. 

Louis Dreyfus, a merchant and processor of agricultural goods with headquarters in Rotterdam, Netherlands, follows with a share of 8.98 percent, which was an increase from the 7.91 percent share in February.

Other big ticket buyers include Olam International with a share of 8.78 percent, Ecom Agro (5.25 percent), Bernhard Rothfos (4.64 percent), and Volcafe, which has a share of 3.34 percent. 

Touton SA (3.10 percent), Pacorini Silocaf (3.36 percent), Koninklijke Douwe (2.07 percent), and Strauss (1.73 percent) close off the biggest 10 buyers of Uganda’s coffee.

Dr Gerald Kyalo, the Ministry of Agriculture commissioner coffee department, says volumes have increased due to consistent new plantings over the past five years, especially in 2022, while the increase in value is due to high global returns, especially for Robusta coffee.  

Coffee prices have almost doubled on the global stage. 

Uganda is targeting to produce 20 million bags of coffee by 2030. However, the target seems a little ambitious given that current production remains below 10 million bags. 

Government, Kyalo says, continues to implement various strategies such as extension services and training for farmers, rehabilitation of old coffee trees, irrigation projects, and fertiliser application to achieve targets. 

“These strategies will contribute to the achievement of the 20 million bags target. We are projecting production to exceed 10 million bags in the current coffee year, up from 8.2 million bags,” he says.

Companies exporting Uganda’s coffee 

Ministry of Agriculture data also indicates that 68 percent of Uganda’s coffee is exported by 10 companies, which is just 12.5 percent of the 80 total exporters in the coffee value chain. 

During March, Ugacof, a local company, dominated the share of coffee exports, exporting at least 12.35 percent of total exports in the month. 

This was, however, a slight decline from 12.96 percent in February. 

Ugacof broke into a space that had traditionally been dominated by companies with foreign links. 

Ugacof was followed by Olam Uganda with a market share of 7.67 percent, which was a reduction from 11.34 percent, Ideal Quality Commodities (7.43 percent), Export Trading Company (6.86 percent), and JKCC at 6.4 percent. 

Louis Dreyfus (6.15 percent), Jber Coffee (6.08 percent), Kyagalanyi Coffee (5.9 percent), Kawacom (5.11 percent), and Ibero (4.33 percent) round off the biggest exporters of Uganda’s coffee. 

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