Uganda Seeks Investors to Expand Coffee Processing, Production

What the report says

Uganda is pitching foreign investors to help expand its coffee industry, with government officials saying they want support for irrigation, commercial farming and local processing as part of a goal to reach 20 million bags of annual production by 2030. The request was made during the Uganda–UK and Ireland Coffee Familiarisation Trip, where buyers, roasters and other industry stakeholders were invited to explore trade and investment opportunities in the country.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Uganda has been pushing to shift away from exporting mostly raw coffee and instead add more value through roasting, grinding, branding and packaging. The article said coffee is a major export for Uganda, contributing about 24% of foreign exchange earnings, and that the country exported about 8.1 million 60-kilogram bags worth $2.1 billion in the last reporting year. Officials also said coffee supports an estimated 12.5 million people across farming, processing and trade.

Assistant Commissioner for Coffee Quality Assurance and Value Addition Gordon Katwirenabo said Uganda is also trying to improve productivity, distribute quality planting materials and strengthen farmer organisations. He pointed to opportunities in direct sourcing, coffee tourism, coffee shops and climate-smart agriculture, while encouraging buyers to explore different coffee-growing regions.

The government is also strengthening traceability systems, with about 1.5 million farmers registered and more than 1.65 million plots mapped. That effort is meant to help with market access and compliance with rules such as the European Union Deforestation Regulation, which matters for access to major export markets.