Coffee prices on the international market have gone up, but Ugandan farmers have not yet seen a similar increase in the prices they receive for their coffee.The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), in its coffee market update issued on Monday, October 5, 2026, reported increases in both Robusta and Arabica prices on the international market.The November 2026 Robusta contract closed at US$3,469 per tonne, gaining US$21 during the trading session.
The January 2027 Robusta contract also increased by US$45 to reach US$3,448 per tonne.According to MAAIF, Robusta prices could continue rising if traders who had previously bet on falling prices begin buying coffee to close their positions.This process is known as short covering, where traders purchase an asset after betting that its price would decline.Arabica coffee also recorded gains on the New York market, with the December 2026 contract closing at 288.75 US cents per pound.The contract increased by 0.50 cents and was equivalent to approximately US$6.37 per kilogramme, or Shs25,361 using the exchange rate applied by MAAIF.The March 2027 Arabica contract rose by 0.90 cents to 280.50 US cents per pound, equivalent to about US$6.18 or Shs24,637 per kilogramme.MAAIF attributed part of the increase to a weaker US dollar, which encouraged traders to buy back positions in the coffee market.The ministry also cited concerns about the possible effects of an El Niño weather pattern on Brazil’s next coffee harvest.Brazil is the world’s leading coffee producer, meaning any expected reduction in its production can have a major impact on global coffee prices.However, the increase in international prices has not yet resulted in a major change in Uganda’s farm-gate prices.Arabica parchment was being purchased from farmers at between Shs15,000 and Shs16,000 per kilogramme, while clean Drugar coffee was selling at between Shs14,500 and Shs15,000.FAQ coffee was trading between Shs12,000 and Shs13,000 per kilogramme.
Kiboko coffee was fetching between Shs5,000 and Shs6,000 per kilogramme at the farm-gate level.MAAIF also reported different prices for Robusta depending on the quality and grade of the coffee being exported.Screen 18 Robusta was priced at about Shs15,255 per kilogramme, while Screen 15 stood at Shs14,816 and Screen 12 at Shs14,553.For Arabica varieties, Bugisu AA was quoted at Shs24,922 per kilogramme, Bugisu A at Shs24,834 and Bugisu B at Shs24,659.Drugar was quoted at Shs23,078 per kilogramme, although the highest price recorded for the variety reached US$3.42 per pound.MAAIF said the coffee price analysis is conducted by its Department of Coffee Production and Development in partnership with institutions and companies involved in Uganda’s coffee market.
The latest update shows that Uganda’s coffee farmers remain closely affected by developments in the global market.International prices can rise because of currency movements, weather concerns and changes in trading activity, but those increases do not always immediately reach farmers.Uganda’s coffee sector also continues to depend on favourable weather, strong production and the country’s ability to maintain and increase its export volumes.For farmers, the continued difference between global coffee prices and farm-gate prices remains an important part of the country’s wider discussion about how to increase the income earned from coffee production.
