Firmer prices cushion fall in Uganda’s August coffee exports

What the report says

Uganda’s coffee exports fell in August, but higher prices limited the hit to earnings, according to Uganda Business News, citing the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries. The country shipped 737,766 60-kilogram bags worth $181.7 million, down from 853,543 bags and $202.6 million a year earlier. The average export price rose to $4.1 per kilogram, helping offset part of the decline in volume.

The ministry’s figures show robusta remained the dominant variety, accounting for 92.3% of shipments. Robusta volumes dropped 14.2% year on year, while arabica exports fell 5.2%. The report also noted that the August total was below the ministry’s own projection of about 850,000 bags. In a separate statement, Agriculture Minister Frank Tumwebaze said drought and unusually high temperatures in parts of Greater Masaka, Kyotera, Sembabule and Luwero had affected flowering, cherry development and bean filling.

The International Coffee Organization offered a broader interpretation, saying Uganda’s recent export decline may reflect a return to more normal levels after exceptionally strong shipments in the 2024/25 coffee year. It said Uganda exported a record 8.26 million bags in that period, helped by higher production and stock releases when global prices were elevated. The August data matter because coffee is one of Uganda’s key export earners, and the monthly figures show how weather, harvest cycles and international prices can affect farm incomes and foreign exchange receipts.