Uganda partners with Vietnam to increase coffee production

The Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa and Vietnamese Ambassador-Designate to Uganda H.E Nguyen Nam Tien on Monday held bilateral discussions aimed at increasing the production of coffee for export.

In a meeting also attended by Mr King Ceasor Augustus Mulenga, the Honorary Consul of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to Uganda, both leaders discussed areas of cooperation including bolstering agriculture production and value addition among others.

“We hope to get coffee varieties that are resistant to pests and diseases, and also give farmers high yields and very good aroma from Vietnam. We also look forward to learning how to develop the coffee market from them,” Mr Taybwa said.

Mr Nguyen said Vietnam is ready to share the experience with Uganda as partners in the coffee industry.

On his part, Mr Mulenga said both Uganda and Vietnam enjoy a tropical climate that helps agricultural activities to thrive.  

"We have very many areas of cooperation both countries can explore with agriculture coming as number one. Both countries grow coffee and cotton, they have rice and very many other areas. I will make sure I help Ugandans learn from the way Vietnamese have used its climate to maximize its production," he said.

Mr Mulenga said Uganda and Vietnam have always enjoyed good relations and noted that the recent opening of an Honorary Consulate in Uganda has fostered a better relationship between the two countries.

He emphasized that Uganda is now targeting commercial diplomacy and promoting trade, investment and tourism.

Since assuming the role in 2017, Mr Mulenga has helped Ugandans, especially the business community to benefit from tapping into the opportunities Vietnam offers.  

He has also encouraged Vietnamese investors to come to Uganda and invest in agro-business, health, education and tourism sectors.

“Vietnam and Uganda should also consider signing a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in economics, trade, investment, defence, banking services, and tourism,” Mulenga said.

Vietnam is known to have experienced an increase in coffee exports from less than 2 million bags in 1991 to 27.5 million bags per year, making the Coffee sub-sector in Vietnam worth US Dollars 3.6 Billion.

As a crucial component of meeting its middle-income strategy, the Ugandan government wants to increase annual production four-fold to 20 million bags by 2025.

At $400 million annually, coffee remains the country’s biggest agricultural export, but the sector is marred by widespread backward farming methods which have prevented higher productivity and better quality.