Trade Minister David Bahati has called on Uganda’s coffee farmers to increase production while maintaining high quality as the country moves to strengthen its position in the global coffee market and earn more from exports.Bahati said Uganda’s coffee industry has recorded significant growth in recent years, with the country emerging as Africa’s leading coffee exporter. However, he warned that maintaining this progress will require farmers to produce larger volumes without compromising the quality demanded by international buyers.“We need production. We need quantity and quality,” Bahati said during the launch of the Coffee and Cocoa Expo 2026 in Kampala, stressing that increased output must go hand in hand with better standards.The minister said Uganda could significantly increase its earnings if more coffee was processed locally instead of being exported mainly in raw form.
He said a kilogramme of green coffee that may earn about US$1 on the international market could generate as much as US$25 after value addition, creating more jobs and income along the value chain.Bahati said government is therefore focusing on investments in processing, infrastructure and market access while creating incentives for investors interested in adding value to agricultural products. He also pointed to a US$168 million Market Access project intended to improve standards and infrastructure, including laboratory facilities.He said Uganda is targeting markets across East Africa, Europe and Asia, while the African Continental Free Trade Area presents an opportunity to reach a market of about 1.2 billion people. According to Bahati, expanding market access will be more beneficial if Uganda has enough high-quality coffee to meet growing demand.However, Private Sector Foundation Uganda Executive Director Stephen Asiimwe said production challenges remain a major obstacle.
He noted that many farmers struggle financially between planting and harvesting, forcing some to sell their coffee prematurely, while drought and inadequate irrigation continue to threaten coffee plantations.Asiimwe called for stronger investment in irrigation, extension services and modern farming practices, including proper fertiliser and pesticide application, disease control and storage. Bahati, meanwhile, urged industry stakeholders to submit recommendations outlining the challenges affecting the sector, saying government was ready to act on practical proposals that can boost production, quality, processing and ultimately increase the wealth Ugandans earn from coffee.
