Uganda Set to Meet EU Coffee Export Deadline to Ensure Compliance with Deforestation-Free Policy

Uganda’s coffee exports to the European Union (EU) are on track to meet the December 2024 deadline set by the EU Deforestation-Free Regulation (EUDR), according to Hon. Henry Musasizi, Minister of State for Finance, Planning, and Economic Development (General Duties). The regulation mandates that coffee and other agricultural products exported to the EU must come from land not deforested after December 31, 2020.

Speaking to the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Musasizi reassured lawmakers that the government is prepared to comply with the policy. He confirmed that by October 20, 2024, the Ministry of Finance will release UGX 13.9 billion to the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) to certify that Uganda's coffee is sourced from deforestation-free areas.

“There should not be any worry; this money will be released at a go so that the activity is done by the December deadline. I assure you that we are putting in place all the necessary steps as a country to comply with the regulation,” Musasizi stated.

The meeting addressed concerns raised in a petition by SEATINI-Uganda, a non-governmental organization, questioning Uganda's readiness to implement the EUDR policy. The policy requires exporters to provide extensive documentation for supply chain commodities, including land use and compliance with local production laws.

To ensure Uganda's coffee sector is ready, Musasizi revealed that UGX 16 billion had been allocated at the start of the 2024/2025 financial year to establish an EUDR Coordination Unit. The unit, set up by Café Africa, will oversee awareness activities and the registration of 900,000 coffee farming households.

Lawmakers emphasized the urgency of the matter, with the Deputy Chairperson of the Agriculture Committee, Hon. Hope Nakazibwe, calling for quick action to ensure Uganda meets the deadline. “We are remaining with barely three months, so we have to work hard to ensure that the release is tangible,” she said.

Uganda earns approximately USD 500 million annually from coffee exports to the EU, making coffee a vital export commodity. Failure to meet the EUDR compliance deadline could have severe economic implications.

Hon. Robert Migadde, Buvuma Islands County MP, expressed concerns over the slow pace of implementation, stating, “This is our number one export commodity, and if we are to tag this to the target of December, we are really far back.”

Musasizi assured lawmakers that efforts are in place to ensure Uganda meets the EU's requirements and continues to benefit from its valuable coffee exports.

The EUDR, approved by the EU in December 2022, aims to curb deforestation linked to agricultural commodities, ensuring that products like coffee and cocoa entering the EU market are sustainably sourced.