In August, Italy emerged as the largest consumer of Uganda’s coffee, accounting for 30 percent of the country’s coffee exports, according to a report by the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA).
During this period, Uganda exported a total of 743,517 bags of coffee, marking a significant growth of 48.19 percent. Italy’s share amounted to 225,045 bags of coffee, followed by Sudan, which accounted for 22 percent, equivalent to 164,398 bags. Germany secured the third spot with 11 percent of Uganda’s coffee exports. India and Algeria rounded out the top five destinations with 10 and 5 percent shares, respectively.
The report also revealed that the top 10 destinations collectively constituted 90.35 percent of Uganda’s coffee exports, slightly down from the previous month’s 90.64 percent. Notably, Uganda’s coffee exports to Africa increased, with Sudan, Morocco, Algeria, South Africa, Egypt, and Kenya emerging as the largest importers within the continent.
While Europe remains the largest consumer of Ugandan coffee, its share decreased to 35 percent in August, compared to 61 percent in July. Despite this, coffee exports in August generated $121.64 million, with the average price per kilogram rising slightly to $2.73, up from $2.71 in July.
Coffee continues to be a significant export for Uganda, although it has been surpassed by gold in recent years as the country’s largest export commodity.
The report also highlighted the key players in Uganda’s coffee export sector. Ugacof led the way, exporting approximately 107,455 bags of coffee, which accounted for 14.45 percent of total exports. Other prominent exporters included Olam, with 84,161 bags (11.32 percent), and Ideal Quality Commodities, which exported 71,814 bags (9.66 percent) of the total volume. Kyagalanyi Coffee and Touton completed the top five exporting companies, contributing 9.17 percent and 7.01 percent, respectively.
Notably, the report pointed out that just 10 companies were responsible for a significant 76 percent of Uganda’s total coffee exports, up from 72 percent in July, indicating a concentration of market power among a select group of players. During this period, 51 companies were involved in the export of coffee from Uganda, reflecting the competitiveness of the industry.
Top Export Destinations:
- Italy: 30.27 percent
- Sudan: 22.11 percent
- Germany: 11 percent
- India: 9.59 percent
- Algeria: 4.86 percent