Uganda has unseated Ethiopia as Africa’s largest coffee exporter after shipping a record 47,606 tonnes in May 2025, new industry data show. The milestone, confirmed on the eve of the World of Coffee trade fair opening in Geneva on Wednesday, crowns a 12-month surge driven by tighter quality controls and aggressive market promotion.
The Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) reports that producers sold 793,445 60-kilogram bags last month—up 44 percent from May 2024—earning US $244 million. Cumulative exports for June 2024–May 2025 reached 7.43 million bags worth US $2.09 billion, comfortably ahead of Ethiopia’s 43,481 tonnes for the same month.
“Italy remains our number-one buyer, but the whole of Europe is waking up to Uganda’s flavour profile,” Minister of State for Agriculture Fred Bwino Kyakulaga said ahead of the Geneva expo. “Coffee will spearhead our plan to lift exports from US $50 billion to US $500 billion.”
Quality push unlocks new markets
Officials credit the jump to government-funded farmer training, stricter grading at washing stations and easier access to high-yield seedlings. The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) says the reforms are part of a “Coffee Roadmap” that targets 20 million bags by 2030.
“Better husbandry and post-harvest handling have moved Uganda into the premium segment,” UCDA managing director Emmanuel Iyamulemye told reporters. Europe now buys 67 percent of the crop, Africa 18 percent and Asia 13 percent.
Geneva showcase
Uganda will headline the World of Coffee Geneva 2025 fair from 26–28 June with daily cupping sessions and panel discussions at Pavilion 2371. The delegation—led by the Uganda Coffee Federation—wants to woo roasters and financiers to invest in local processing.
“Each bean is a passport to our heritage,” federation president Robert Byaruhanga said. “We are ready to supply bespoke microlots and scale value-addition at origin.”
Uganda’s mission in Geneva sees a broader diplomatic dividend. “With more than half the world’s green-coffee trade negotiated here, exhibiting in Switzerland is both symbolic and strategic,” Deputy Permanent Representative Arthur Kafeero noted.
Next hurdles
Analysts warn that logistics bottlenecks at Mombasa port, climate volatility and smuggling across porous borders could slow momentum. Kampala has pledged to widen irrigation, crack down on adulteration and fast-track the planned national coffee law to protect branding.
Still, exporters are bullish. “We have crossed a psychological barrier,” said Judith Mukasa, a specialty-coffee trader based in Kampala. “If we keep the quality high, Ethiopia’s reign may be history.”
