KAMPALA — Uganda’s record-breaking coffee export performance over the past year has been fueled largely by bumper harvests from Masaka and southwestern Uganda, according to the latest Ministry of Agriculture Coffee Development Department report for April 2025.

The Ministry highlighted that “the monthly coffee exports volume was higher than the previous year on account of good crop from the main harvest in Masaka and south Western regions.”

The Greater Masaka region remains Uganda’s leading Robusta production zone, contributing heavily to the record 594,188 bags of Robusta exported in April 2025.  

The southwest highlands also yielded strong Arabica volumes, though Arabica remained a smaller share of total exports  

The report showed that coffee exports between May 2024 and April 2025 totaled “7.17 million bags worth US$ 1.97 billion compared to 5.90 million bags worth US$ 1.01 billion in the previous year.” 

Weather

Across the country, regional inspections conducted by agricultural officers revealed generally favorable weather conditions during April, with adequate rainfall supporting key agronomic activities such as planting, pruning, and harvesting. 

However, localized pest and disease outbreaks persisted, with the Black Coffee Twig Borer and Red Blister Disease cited as major concerns in several regions, especially in Central, Eastern, and Rwenzori. 

In total, 752 farms were inspected in April, providing support and training on farm rehabilitation and disease management. 

“A total of 64 coffee-specific training in Good Agronomical Practices (GAPs) were undertaken across all regions, benefiting 1,872 farmers,” UCDA reported.

As Uganda eyes further expansion, efforts to control pests, improve post-harvest handling, and ensure compliance with export quality standards remain critical to sustaining growth.

By ChimpReports