Uganda coffee export earnings fall 10% in April as global coffee prices weaken 

UGANDA – Uganda’s coffee export earnings declined by approximately 10% year-on-year in April 2026 as falling global coffee prices weighed on revenue from the country’s most important agricultural export. 

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Uganda exported coffee worth US$155.5 million in April, compared to US$173.4 million recorded during the same month in 2025.  

The decline came despite the country maintaining its position as Africa’s largest coffee exporter and one of the world’s leading coffee-producing nations. 

In its latest report, the ministry attributed the decrease in export earnings to weaker international coffee prices. 

“Coffee prices during the month declined in line with the decrease at the global level,” the report stated. 

Despite the monthly decline, Uganda’s coffee sector continued to demonstrate strong long-term performance. Over the 12 months to April 2026, coffee export earnings increased by 24% to reach US$2.4 billion, highlighting the sector’s resilience amid fluctuating global market conditions. 

Uganda remains a major player in the global coffee industry. According to the African Fine Coffee Association, the country ranks second in Africa and eighth globally in coffee production. It is also Africa’s leading exporter of organic coffee and is widely recognized as the birthplace of Robusta coffee. 

Earlier performance data also reflected continued growth in export volumes. In February 2026, Uganda exported 651,933 bags of coffee valued at US$180.98 million (UGX573.50 billion), representing a 14.93% increase in volume and a 5.75% rise in value compared to February 2025. 

The outlook for the global coffee market remains influenced by increasing production. The United States Department of Agriculture projects world coffee production for the 2025/26 season to reach a record 178.8 million bags, driven by production recovery in Vietnam and record harvests in Indonesia and Ethiopia. 

Meanwhile, the Uganda Coffee Producers Association (UCPA) has projected significant growth for the country’s coffee industry over the coming years. The association estimates that annual coffee export earnings could reach UGX20 trillion by 2030, up from the current UGX9 trillion. 

UCPA Chairperson Ian Clarke said continued investment across the value chain will be essential to achieving that target. 

“Key stakeholders in the coffee value chain should prioritize strategies such as rehabilitating old farms, adopting climate-resilient farming practices, and upgrading post-harvest infrastructure to improve exports,” he said. 

Clarke added that programmes currently underway aim to rehabilitate coffee trees across 400,000 smallholder farms while promoting drought-resistant coffee varieties and expanding cultivation into new production areas, particularly in mid-northern Uganda. 

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