KAMPALA, May 5 – Uganda’s coffee export volumes rose in March, supported by improved harvests, though declining global prices weighed on overall earnings.
The country shipped 671,152 60-kilogram bags during the month, a 2.9% increase compared with the same period a year earlier, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries.
The rise in volumes reflects stronger domestic production, reinforcing coffee’s role as one of Uganda’s key foreign exchange earners. The country remains Africa’s largest exporter of coffee, ahead of Ethiopia.
Despite the increase in shipments, export revenues declined. Earnings from March exports fell 13.6% year-on-year, as softer global prices offset the gains in output.
On a rolling annual basis, however, the sector has delivered stronger performance. Uganda generated $2.4 billion in coffee export revenues in the 12 months to March, up from $1.8 billion in the previous period.
The data highlights the sector’s sensitivity to global price movements, even as production gains continue to support export volumes and foreign exchange inflows.
