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Origin · Country profile

Uganda

Africa’s main robusta origin and a home of wild Coffea canephora, grown by smallholders around Lake Victoria and in the west, with washed and natural arabica from Mount Elgon, the Rwenzori and West Nile.

Across the chain: History

Source-checkedby Coffearium verification pass· Last source-checked 2 Nov 2026· Prepared with AI assistance· 32 sources (26 tier A)· 6 contested· Updated 2 Nov 2026· Literature last searched 2 Nov 2026
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Contents
  • Uganda produced 7.10 million bags of 60 kg in 2025/26, 5.98 million robusta and 1.12 million arabica, by the count of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).1
  • In FAO statistics, Uganda produced 402,000 t of green coffee in 2024, the sixth-largest crop among 78 countries (our calculation).3
  • Uganda is a centre of diversity of wild *C. canephora*; native populations grow in forests such as Mabira, Kalangala, Zoka, Budongo, Itwara and Kibale.18
  • The national research institute NaCORI lists 10 robusta clones resistant to coffee wilt disease, KR1 to NARO KR10.20
  • A 2024 amendment, assented on 20 December 2024, provides for dissolving the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA); USDA reports its functions moved to the agriculture ministry in 2025.15,16,5

Snapshot#

Uganda is the fourth-largest robusta producer, after Vietnam, Brazil and Indonesia.1,18 No other African country has its own robusta row in USDA’s 2025/26 table with a larger crop (our reading).1 The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) puts the 2025/26 crop at 7.10 million bags of 60 kg.1 That is 4.0% of the world total of 178.8 million bags (our calculation).1 USDA forecasts 7.16 million bags for 2026/27.1

In the statistics of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Uganda produced 402,000 t of green coffee in 2024.3 That ranks sixth among 78 countries and is 3.6% of their total (our calculation).3 Coffee production by country compares the producers.

Most of the crop is robusta (C. canephora). In USDA’s 2025/26 figures, 5.98 million bags were robusta and 1.12 million arabica.1 Robusta was thus 84% of the crop and 7.1% of the world’s robusta (our calculation).1 A 2022 study, citing UCDA, puts robusta at over 80% of production.23

Where coffee grows#

The two species grow in different places. Robusta is mainly grown in the central region, according to USDA’s Nairobi office.5 Arabica grows mainly in the high areas of the east and west.5 USDA names the north as an emerging production area.5 The ICO profile, prepared with UCDA, lists five regions: Central, Western, South-Western, Northern and Eastern.8

Relief map of Uganda with layers for the coffee zones of the national cup profiles, forests with wild robusta and the Rwenzori geographical indication, the coffee research institute and places in the history of coffeeSOUTH SUDANKENYADR CONGOTANZANIARWANDALake VictoriaL. AlbertL. KyogaRwenzoriMt ElgonKampalaMbaleFort PortalKaseseMasakaMbararaAruaGuluJinjaMubendeKisoroLiraMalabigamboMabiraKalangalaZokaBudongoItwaraKibaleNaCORI KituzaBugusegeKaweri estate1234
darker = higher; contours every 250 m, bold every 500 mdashed: district bordersNo national coffee altitude band is sourced, so none is drawn.Relief: AWS Terrain Tiles, 0.1° means; borders, districts, lakes and towns: Natural Earth
Interactive relief map of Uganda. Layers: the coffee zones of the national cup profiles and their districts; forests with wild C. canephora and the Rwenzori geographical indication; the research institute at Kituza and the Kaweri estate; and places in coffee history.12,18,19,31,20,8,21

Robusta zones. Robusta’s native habitat is the Lake Victoria Crescent, according to the Uganda Investment Authority.13 In the national cup profiles, the Lake Victoria Crescent zone includes Mukono, Wakiso, Mpigi, Buikwe, Jinja, Kyotera, Rakai and Kalangala.12 Masaka, Lwengo, Kalungu and Sembabule lie in the Pastoral Range Lands; Mubende, Mityana, Luweero, Hoima and Kibaale lie in the Western Savannah Grasslands.12 Busoga districts such as Iganga, Kamuli and Bugiri form the Kyoga Plains.12

Arabica zones. Arabica grows on the slopes of Mount Elgon and the Rwenzori, in the Muhavura ranges of the south-west and in West Nile.6 The cup profiles group Mbale, Sironko, Kapchorwa, Bududa, Kisoro and Kasese as the Highland Ranges.12 Arua, Zombo, Nebbi and Maracha form the arabica zone of the north-western savannah.12

Altitude. No measured national altitude survey was consulted. The Uganda Investment Authority gives robusta up to 1,200 m and arabica at 1,500–2,300 m.13 The cup profiles give a mean elevation of 1,855 m for the Highland Ranges and 1,082 m for the Lake Victoria Crescent.12 The ICO profile gives conflicting ranges (see Contested).8

0 m500 m1,000 m1,500 m2,000 m2,500 m3,000 m3,500 mABRwenzori foothillsFort PortalMubendeKampalaKituza (NaCORI) 20 JinjaMbaleMount Elgon slopes0 km50 km100 km150 km200 km250 km300 km350 km400 km450 km500 kmShaded: arabica 1,500–2,300 m; solid line: robusta up to 1,200 m (Uganda Investment Authority, undated) 13 .Dashed: 1,400 m, below which a 2015 model projects arabica to lose suitable area by the 2050s 30 .Ticks: mean elevation of the Lake Victoria Crescent (A, 1,082 m) and Highland Ranges (B, 1,855 m) zones 12 .Bent at the towns marked; vertical scale about 50×. Terrain: AWS Terrain Tiles, 0.1° means.
Section across Uganda from the Rwenzori foothills through Fort Portal, Mubende, Kampala and Kituza to Mbale and Mount Elgon. Shaded: arabica at 1,500–2,300 m; solid line: robusta up to 1,200 m (both from the Uganda Investment Authority, undated). Dashed: 1,400 m, below which a 2015 model projects arabica to lose suitable area by the 2050s. Ticks: mean elevations printed for two coffee zones. Terrain from 0.1° mean relief, so summits appear lower than they are.13,30,12,20

Climate and harvest#

Coffee in Uganda is largely rain-fed, according to USDA.5 Uganda lies across the equator, and its main and minor harvests swap places between regions north and south of it.8 In Sironko, on Mount Elgon, a 2025 study describes bimodal rainfall, heaviest in the first season of March–July.29

All-year picking. Harvesting goes on all year, with two peaks: November to February and June to September, according to a 2014 USDA report.6 FAO gave robusta a year-round harvest peaking from November to February, and arabica September to December (2000).7

By region. The Uganda Investment Authority gives main robusta seasons of May–August in Masaka and the west, and November–February in the centre and east.13 For arabica, it gives April–June in the west and October–February in the east and West Nile.13 In October 2025, the national monthly report noted harvest underway in the Central and Eastern regions.10 Harvest calendars compares origins.

Farms and people#

Ugandan coffee is a smallholder crop. Small farms grow about 90% of the crop, according to USDA’s Nairobi office.5 Smallholders typically farm 0.5–2.5 ha.5 The ICO profile gives a mean coffee plot of less than one acre (about 0.4 ha).8

Households. The number of coffee households differs widely between sources (see Contested). The ICO profile estimates 1.7 million households.8 It puts the share headed by women at about 40%, citing a 2017 pilot registration in Mukono and Buikwe.8 In 2026 the agriculture ministry gave an estimated 2.5 million households.32 In the statistics office’s 2019 survey, about 21% of 7 million agricultural households grew robusta and 7% arabica.14

Estates. Estates hold about 5% of the area under coffee, according to the ICO profile.8 It names one large robusta estate, Kaweri in Mubende, with 2,500 ha.8

Area. USDA’s post estimates 590,000 ha planted in 2025/26 and forecasts 595,000 ha for 2026/27.5 Living income gives a reference price for Ugandan arabica.

Species and varieties#

Wild robusta. Uganda is a centre of diversity for C. canephora, according to a 2023 review.18 Native populations grow in the forests of Malabigambo, Mabira and Kalangala in the south, and of Zoka, Budongo, Itwara and Kibale in the north-west.18 A 2021 genetic study collected wild material from seven forests.19 It found Uganda’s native diversity distinct from the other known genetic groups of the species.19 The review lists four indigenous coffee species, including excelsa (C. liberica var. dewevrei).18

Nganda and Erecta. The ICO profile names two robusta varieties, Nganda and Erecta.8 The 2023 review cites a 1935 suggestion that the spreading Nganda type may have originated in a Ugandan forest and that the upright Erecta type was introduced from the Congo Basin.18 The review notes that genetic studies do not separate the two types clearly.18

Resistant clones. The National Coffee Research Institute (NaCORI) lists 10 clones resistant to coffee wilt disease, from KR1 to NARO KR10.20 A 2022 study counts seven released in the first round.23 World Coffee Research lists KR6, KR8, KR9 and KR10 as resistant.24 Coffee wilt disease describes the epidemic.

Arabica. The ICO profile names SL28 for high altitudes, SL14 and KP423 for medium altitudes, and traditional Nyasaland coffee.8 World Coffee Research calls SL14 economically important in Kenya and Uganda.25 It describes KP423, a selection from Kent released in Tanzania, as important in Uganda’s arabica regions.26 Arabica varieties describes these lineages.

Processing#

Robusta: natural. Robusta is mainly dry processed, according to a 2019 policy study.28,13 Small-scale producers often sun-dry the cherries; large-scale producers wet-mill, according to USDA.5 The dried cherry is called kiboko.28,27 Hulling it gives FAQ, “fair average quality” green coffee.27,28 Natural process and hulling and dry milling explain the steps.

Arabica: washed and natural. Arabica is typically wet processed, then hulled, graded and packed for export, according to USDA.5 Some arabica is dried as natural coffee.28,12 Drugar is the trade name for ungraded dry-processed Ugandan arabica.28,9 A 2019 policy study describes Wugar as “Okoro Wet non-graded Uganda Arabicas”, from West Nile; both names are export grades.28,9 The national cup profiles describe the arabica of the western savannah as predominantly naturally processed.12

Grades. Robusta is graded by screen: Screen 18, 17, 15, 14 and 12 appear in the export statistics.9 Arabica export grades include Bugisu AA, A, AB and C/PB, and Mt Elgon A+ and AB.9 Green coffee grading gives the screen sizes.

History#

Wild coffee and early use. Coffee was used in Uganda for chewing and consumption rather than as a beverage, according to the 2023 review.18 It is still used in traditional marriage ceremonies in Buganda.18 Plantation owners and smallholders in the Lake Victoria Basin began cultivating robusta in the late 19th century, the review states.18 Its promotion as an export crop gathered momentum from the 1910s.18

Legend and evidence. According to the 2023 review, citing a 1940 source, arabica is believed to have been introduced into cultivation in 1900; the World Bank paper gives the same year.18,27 A 2006 World Bank paper calls it an estate crop at first.27 The ICO profile gives other early dates for arabica in Bugisu; they rest on that one source (see Contested).8

Marketing boards. A Coffee Marketing Board was named in 1959.8,27 The dates of earlier boards differ between sources (see Contested).8,27 In January 1991 the Coffee Board was split in two, according to the World Bank paper.27 UCDA was established in 1991, and the sector was fully liberalised that year, according to Parliament and USDA.17,6

Coffee wilt. Coffee wilt disease was confirmed in 1993 in Bundibugyo, on the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.21 By the end of 1998 it had reached 18 districts.21 A 2022 study, citing a UCDA report of 2004, states that it wiped out about 60% of robusta trees in the early 1990s.23

Trade and institutions#

Exports. Uganda exports most of its crop. USDA counts 6.70 million bags in 2025/26, 94% of production (our calculation).1 The national monthly reports count 8 million bags for the coffee year October 2025–September 2026 (see Contested).9 USDA’s post forecasts domestic consumption of 335,000 bags in 2026/27.5

Earlier year. In the 2020/21 financial year (July–June), exports were 6.1 million bags worth US$559 million, according to UCDA.11 Italy took 31%.11

Destinations. In 2024/25 the European Union took 73% of exports; Morocco and the United States 6% each, according to USDA.5 In September 2026, Italy took 21.2%, Sudan 18.5% and India 10.3% of the month’s exports.9

From UCDA to the ministry. UCDA regulated the sector from 1991.17,8 Parliament passed the National Coffee (Amendment) Bill, 2024, on 6 November 2024.17 The President assented on 20 December 2024.16 The bill dissolves the authority on commencement and transfers its functions to the agriculture ministry.15 USDA reports that the functions were integrated into the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) in 2025.5

Research. NaCORI, part of the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), is based at Kituza in Mukono district, 38 km east of Kampala.20 It has a sub-station at Bugusege in Sironko district.20

Geographical indication. Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon Coffee was registered in 2023, according to the national registry (URSB), which calls it Uganda’s first geographical indication.31 URSB describes it as arabica grown organically above 1,200 m.31

EUDR. In 2026 the agriculture ministry sought a consultancy to register and map at least 1,200,000 coffee farms for a national traceability system.32 EUDR describes the regulation.

Production over time#

The FAO series runs from 1961. Production rose from 94,100 t in 1961 to 247,200 t in 1969.2 It fell to a low of 97,500 t in 1981.2 It reached 287,925 t in 1996, then dropped to 143,475 t in 2000.2 Since 2013 it has stayed above 220,000 t, rising to a peak of 507,000 t in 2022.2 The 2024 value, 402,000 t, is 79% of that peak (our calculation).2

19601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025050100150200250300350400450500550Yearthousand t green coffeeUganda2
Data table
SeriesYearthousand t green coffeeSource
Uganda196194.12
Uganda19621192
Uganda1963158.22
Uganda1964172.42
Uganda1965152.12
Uganda1966153.92
Uganda1967166.42
Uganda19681332
Uganda1969247.22
Uganda1970201.52
Uganda1971175.52
Uganda1972183.72
Uganda1973212.62
Uganda1974199.12
Uganda19751992
Uganda1976137.12
Uganda1977155.92
Uganda1978121.32
Uganda19791032
Uganda1980135.22
Uganda198197.52
Uganda1982161.8662
Uganda1983148.2242
Uganda1984145.9712
Uganda1985143.9952
Uganda1986159.8812
Uganda1987167.0672
Uganda1988151.1572
Uganda1989169.0422
Uganda1990128.7472
Uganda1991147.3662
Uganda1992110.3342
Uganda1993144.5512
Uganda1994198.3712
Uganda1995181.4652
Uganda1996287.9252
Uganda1997219.6242
Uganda1998205.0562
Uganda1999251.8812
Uganda2000143.4752
Uganda2001197.412
Uganda2002209.5472
Uganda2003150.8712
Uganda2004170.0812
Uganda2005158.12
Uganda2006133.312
Uganda2007175.3462
Uganda2008211.7262
Uganda2009195.8712
Uganda2010166.9682
Uganda2011191.3712
Uganda2012186.1252
Uganda2013222.8942
Uganda2014220.1352
Uganda2015229.1492
Uganda2016243.0612
Uganda2017302.0632
Uganda2018284.2252
Uganda2019313.9332
Uganda2020360.1032
Uganda2021414.0072
Uganda20225072
Uganda20234682
Uganda20244022
Green coffee production of Uganda, 1961–2024, in thousand tonnes, from FAO statistics by calendar year. The peak was 507,000 t in 2022.2
Year t Year t Year t Year t
1961 94,1002 1977 155,9002 1993 144,5512 2009 195,8712
1962 119,0002 1978 121,3002 1994 198,3712 2010 166,9682
1963 158,2002 1979 103,0002 1995 181,4652 2011 191,3712
1964 172,4002 1980 135,2002 1996 287,9252 2012 186,1252
1965 152,1002 1981 97,5002 1997 219,6242 2013 222,8942
1966 153,9002 1982 161,8662 1998 205,0562 2014 220,1352
1967 166,4002 1983 148,2242 1999 251,8812 2015 229,1492
1968 133,0002 1984 145,9712 2000 143,4752 2016 243,0612
1969 247,2002 1985 143,9952 2001 197,4102 2017 302,0632
1970 201,5002 1986 159,8812 2002 209,5472 2018 284,2252
1971 175,5002 1987 167,0672 2003 150,8712 2019 313,9332
1972 183,7002 1988 151,1572 2004 170,0812 2020 360,1032
1973 212,6002 1989 169,0422 2005 158,1002 2021 414,0072
1974 199,1002 1990 128,7472 2006 133,3102 2022 507,0002
1975 199,0002 1991 147,3662 2007 175,3462 2023 468,0002
1976 137,1002 1992 110,3342 2008 211,7262 2024 402,0002

Yield. FAO’s average yield was 546 kg/ha in 2024.4 It peaked at 1,028 kg/ha in 1996 and has stayed between 546 and 615 kg/ha since 2005.4 A 2025 study cites a national average of 700 kg/ha of green coffee.29 Coffee yields compares origins.

USDA’s recent series. In USDA’s tables, production was 6.05 million bags in 2021/22, 6.57 million in 2022/23, 6.40 million in 2023/24, 6.70 million in 2024/25 and 7.10 million in 2025/26.1 USDA uses an October–September marketing year; FAO uses calendar years.1,3 The FAO value for 2024 carries flag X, a value taken from an external organisation.3

Robusta and arabica#

Marketing year Arabica (thousand bags) Robusta (thousand bags) Total (thousand bags) Arabica share (our calculation)
2021/22 9901 5,0601 6,0501 16.4%
2022/23 9901 5,5751 6,5651 15.1%
2023/24 1,0001 5,4001 6,4001 15.6%
2024/25 1,0301 5,6701 6,7001 15.4%
2025/26 1,1201 5,9751 7,0951 15.8%
2026/27 (forecast) 1,1351 6,0251 7,1601 15.9%

Other sources give similar shares. FAO gave robusta 87% and arabica 13% in 2000.7 The ICO profile puts robusta at 80% of exports by weight.8 In the 2020/21 financial year, UCDA certified 5,337,952 bags of robusta and 739,999 bags of arabica for export, 12% arabica (our calculation).11 In September 2026, arabica was 15.4% of the month’s exports (our calculation).9

Coffee by region and zone#

No regional production table of the statistics office could be accessed. Two official sources describe the regions.

Regional surveys, 2020/21. UCDA’s production surveys for 2020/21 estimated 3.6 million bags of clean coffee in Greater Masaka, 4 million in the Central region, 2 million in Busoga and 0.95 million in the Rwenzori region.11 The report does not say whether these regions overlap, so they are not added up.11 For Busoga it splits 1.0 million bags of main harvest and 0.7 million of fly crop, which do not add to the 2 million printed.11 The same surveys put gross production at 10 million 60-kg bags.11

Coffee zones. The national cup profiles group districts into zones by species, from over 1,000 samples of crop years 2014–2020.12

Zone (as in the source) Species Districts named (selection) Mean elevation
Highland Ranges Arabica Bududa, Bukwo, Manafwa, Kween, Mbale, Namisindwa, Kapchorwa, Sironko, Kisoro, Kasese, Kabarole12 1,855 m12
North Western Savannah Grass Lands Arabica Arua, Maracha, Zombo, Nebbi12 1,435 m12
South-Western Farm Lands Arabica and robusta Ibanda, Kanungu, Rubirizi, Rukungiri, Mitooma, Bushenyi, Sheema, Mbarara12 1,545 m12
Lake Victoria Crescent Robusta Kyotera, Mpigi, Mukono, Mayuge, Wakiso, Buikwe, Buvuma, Rakai, Kalangala, Jinja12 1,082 m12
Kyoga Plains Robusta Bugiri, Kamuli, Iganga, Luuka, Namutumba, Namayingo, Kayunga12 914–1,800 m (as printed)12
Pastoral Range Lands Robusta Bukomansimbi, Butambala, Kalungu, Gomba, Masaka, Sembabule, Lwengo, Lyantonde, Kyankwazi12 Not used (printed in “mm”)
Western Savannah Grasslands Arabica and robusta Kabarole, Kamwenge, Kasese (arabica); Luweero, Nakaseke, Mityana, Mubende, Kiboga, Kibaale, Hoima, Kyenjojo, Kyegegwa (robusta)12 Not used (implausible range)
North-eastern and north-western savannah Robusta Lira, Pader, Kitgum, Agago (north-east); Oyam, Gulu, Nwoya, Koboko, Arua (north-west)12 Not used (north-east printed with the Lake Victoria Crescent value)

A 2022 cupping study placed its Lake Victoria Crescent site at Mukono, at 800–1,160 m.23

Processing practice and trade terms#

Term Meaning Source
Kiboko Dried robusta cherry, sold by producers to kiboko traders Baffes 200627, EPRC 201928
FAQ Fair average quality: ungraded hulled green coffee, bought by FAQ traders who sell to exporters Baffes 200627, EPRC 201928
Hulling Done by mills, often as a service to kiboko traders for a fixed fee (2006) Baffes 200627
Drugar Ungraded dry-processed (natural) Ugandan arabica EPRC 201928; export grade in the monthly report9
Wugar Washed Ugandan arabica, Okoro (West Nile) named in the source EPRC 201928; export grade in the monthly report9
Parchment Arabica parchment, priced at the farm gate Monthly report9
Washed robusta A small export grade Monthly report9

Farm-gate prices. In September 2026, the national monthly report gave average farm-gate prices of UGX 5,410 per kg for robusta kiboko and UGX 12,050 for FAQ.9 Arabica parchment averaged UGX 15,575 per kg and Drugar UGX 14,850.9 No source consulted for this entry gives a Tier A out-turn from kiboko to FAQ; cherry-to-green conversion gives general ratios.

Exports by grade. The September 2026 report lists exports by grade.9 One month is not a year: the shares vary with the harvest.

0400008000012000016000020000024000028000032000060-kg bags (one month; robusta grades first in the source, arabica marked)Screen 15303,1659 Screen 1286,4939 Screen 1877,5569 BHP 119946,0929 Screen 1742,5739 Other robustas40,3919 Drugar (arabica)39,3919 Bugisu AB (arabica)24,5789 Wugar (arabica)19,9829 Screen 1419,1329 Other arabicas (arabica)11,1909 Bugisu AA (arabica)8,9529 Organic robusta4,6019 Sustainable Arabica(arabica)3,5909 Washed robusta2,0789 Mt Elgon AB (arabica)1,3869 Bugisu C/PB (arabica)1,3469 Mt Elgon A+ (arabica)1,3069 Bugisu A (arabica)1,2809 Organic Drugar (arabica)3509 Bugisu A+ (arabica)39
Data table
60-kg bags (one month; robusta grades first in the source, arabica marked)Source
Screen 15303,1659
Screen 1286,4939
Screen 1877,5569
BHP 119946,0929
Screen 1742,5739
Other robustas40,3919
Drugar (arabica)39,3919
Bugisu AB (arabica)24,5789
Wugar (arabica)19,9829
Screen 1419,1329
Other arabicas (arabica)11,1909
Bugisu AA (arabica)8,9529
Organic robusta4,6019
Sustainable Arabica (arabica)3,5909
Washed robusta2,0789
Mt Elgon AB (arabica)1,3869
Bugisu C/PB (arabica)1,3469
Mt Elgon A+ (arabica)1,3069
Bugisu A (arabica)1,2809
Organic Drugar (arabica)3509
Bugisu A+ (arabica)39
Exports by grade in September 2026, in 60-kg bags, from the national monthly report. Robusta screen grades dominate; Screen 15 alone was 41% of the month’s exports (our calculation).9
Grade Bags, Sept 2026 US$ per kg Grade Bags, Sept 2026 US$ per kg
Screen 18 77,5569 4.1 Bugisu AA 8,9529 6.9
Screen 17 42,5739 3.9 Bugisu AB 24,5789 6.5
Screen 15 303,1659 4.0 Bugisu A 1,2809 7.3
Screen 14 19,1329 3.7 Bugisu C/PB 1,3469 6.3
Screen 12 86,4939 3.9 Mt Elgon A+ 1,3069 7.8
BHP 1199 46,0929 3.2 Mt Elgon AB 1,3869 7.9
Other robustas 40,3919 3.3 Wugar 19,9829 7.0
Organic robusta 4,6019 4.3 Drugar 39,3919 6.3
Washed robusta 2,0789 4.1 Other arabicas 11,1909 4.2
Total robusta 622,0819 3.9 Total arabica 113,3549 6.4

The arabica total also includes Sustainable Arabica (3,590 bags), Organic Drugar (350) and Bugisu A+ (3).9 Screen 15 was 48.7% of robusta exports that month; Drugar was 34.8% of arabica, and the Bugisu grades together 31.9% (our calculation).9 The report does not define BHP 1199.9

Coffee wilt and resistant clones#

Coffee wilt disease, caused by Fusarium xylarioides, was confirmed on robusta in Bundibugyo in 1993.21 By the end of 1998 it was confirmed in 18 districts, south and east of the first site.21 A 2003 study, citing a UCDA report of 2000, gives 14.5 million trees destroyed since 1993, with 15 of the 24 main robusta districts affected.22 A 2022 study, citing a UCDA report of 2004, states that the disease wiped out about 60% of robusta trees in the early 1990s, an estimated loss of US$259 million.23 These figures cover different periods (see Coffee wilt disease).

Breeding. The breeding effort led to the release of seven resistant varieties, according to the 2022 study.23 NaCORI lists 10: KR1–KR7 and NARO KR8, KR9 and KR10.20 The ICO profile also counts ten resistant lines.8 In three zones studied in 2022, only five of the seven were found on farms: KR3, KR4, KR5, KR6 and KR7.23 Most scored as premium robusta (70–79); KR4 reached specialty grade (80 or more).23 World Coffee Research gives KR6 a yield potential of 2,650 kg of green coffee per hectare.24

Wild genes. The 2021 genetic study found four distinct clusters in the forests of north-western Uganda.19 Twelve environmental variables explained 16.3% of the allelic variation across populations.19 The authors call for urgent in situ conservation of these forests.19 According to the 2023 review, citing the 2022 study, elite clones with wilt resistance and high yield are the mainstay of robusta production in Uganda.18

Arabica breeding. NaCORI has submitted five candidate arabica varieties to the agriculture ministry for assessment before release.20

Institutions and law#

Element Rule or value Source
UCDA Established 1991; mandated by the UCDA Statute 1991, amended 1994 Parliament17, ICO8
Liberalisation Coffee sector fully liberalised in 1991; Coffee Board split in January 1991 USDA 20146, World Bank 200627
National Coffee Act, 2021 Act 17 of 2021, which established the Coffee Development Authority Bill 202415
Amendment bill Published 27 March 2024; passed 6 November 2024 Gazette15, Parliament17
Assent 20 December 2024 State House16
Effect Authority dissolved on commencement; functions to the ministry responsible for agriculture Bill 202415
Restructuring in practice Functions integrated into MAAIF in 2025 USDA 20265
Statistics after 2025 Monthly coffee reports continue on ugandacoffee.go.ug, by coffee year (October–September) Monthly reports9,10
Research NaCORI (NARO), Kituza, Mukono; sub-station Bugusege, Sironko NaCORI20
Geographical indication Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon Coffee, registered 2023 URSB31
Traceability Mapping of at least 1,200,000 coffee farms (2026 terms of reference) MAAIF32

The GI area. The URSB page links the Rwenzori indication to producers in Kasese, Bundibugyo, Kabarole, Bunyangabo and Ntoroko, the districts its 2025 workshop targeted.31 It describes the coffee as arabica grown organically above 1,200 m.31 The registered specification was not consulted.

On the futures market. Differentials and coffee futures describe how Ugandan coffee relates to the New York and London contracts.

Climate risk#

A 2015 global model projects that Uganda would lose area suitable for arabica below 1,400 m by the 2050s.30 In East Africa as a whole, suitable climates are projected to move from 400–2,000 m to 800–2,500 m.30 These are model projections, not forecasts by Coffearium. No study consulted for this entry modelled robusta suitability in Uganda.

The sources consulted also name pests and diseases. According to producers cited in USDA’s 2026 report, the twig borer is the most common pest.5 According to a 2025 study, the current impacts of climate change have resulted in high pest and disease prevalence.29

Reference values#

Parameter Value Source
Production, USDA 7.10 million 60-kg bags (2025/26); 7.16 million forecast (2026/27) USDA1
Production, FAO 402,000 t (2024); peak 507,000 t (2022) FAO2,3
Share of world output 4.0% (2025/26, USDA); 3.6% (2024, FAO); our calculation USDA1, FAO3
Robusta, share of world 7.1%, fourth largest (2025/26, our calculation) USDA1
Species split Robusta 5.98, arabica 1.12 million bags (2025/26) USDA1
Yield 546 kg/ha (2024) FAO4
Area planted 590,000 ha (2025/26); 595,000 ha forecast (2026/27), post estimates USDA5
Smallholders Farms of 0.5–2.5 ha; about 90% of production USDA5
Estates About 5% of the area ICO8
Households 1.7 million (ICO, 2019, no year of data); 2.5 million (MAAIF, 2026); see Contested ICO8, MAAIF32
Altitude Robusta up to 1,200 m; arabica 1,500–2,300 m (undated profile, about 2008) UIA13
Mean zone elevation Highland Ranges 1,855 m; Lake Victoria Crescent 1,082 m Cup profiles12
Harvest All year; peaks November–February and June–September (2014) USDA6
Exports, USDA 6.70 million bags (2025/26); 6.83 million forecast (2026/27) USDA1
Exports, national 8 million bags (coffee year 2025/26) Monthly report9
Main destination EU, 73% of exports (2024/25) USDA5
Domestic consumption 335,000 bags (forecast 2026/27) USDA5
Export price Peak US$4.64 per kg (2024/25) USDA5
Farm-gate prices Kiboko UGX 5,410; FAQ UGX 12,050; parchment UGX 15,575 per kg (September 2026) Monthly report9
CWD first confirmed 1993, Bundibugyo Hakiza and Birikunzira21
CWD-resistant clones 10 (KR1–NARO KR10) NaCORI20
UCDA Established 1991; amendment providing for its dissolution assented 20 December 2024 Parliament17, State House16

Open questions#

  • Commencement. The enacted National Coffee (Amendment) Act and its commencement date were not consulted; the date on which UCDA ceased to exist is not confirmed here.15,16
  • Households. Official counts range from 1.7 million to over 2.8 million households, and none states a year of data (see Contested).8,32
  • Exports. The national count for coffee year 2025/26 is about 1.3 million bags above USDA’s estimate for the same months (our calculation).9,1
  • Regional production. No regional or district production table of the statistics office could be accessed; the 2020/21 regional estimates do not add to a national total.11
  • Harvest by region. The regional harvest months rest on an undated profile of about 2008; the ICO’s harvest table could not be read reliably.13,8
  • Clone release years. No Tier A source consulted dates the release of KR1–KR7 or of NARO KR8–KR10.20,23
  • Early history. No primary colonial record of the first arabica planting was consulted.18,27

Key studies#

Davis et al., 2023 – Uganda’s indigenous coffee resources. A review of the four coffee species native to Uganda, with their forests, history of use and value for breeding. It treats Uganda as a centre of diversity for robusta and points to excelsa as an emerging crop.

Frontiers in Plant Science 13, 1057317 · doi:10.3389/fpls.2022.1057317

Kiwuka et al., 2021 – Genetic diversity of Ugandan robusta. Genotyped wild robusta from seven forests together with field collections and a feral population. Uganda’s native diversity forms its own groups, with four clusters in the north-west, and part of it is linked to environment.

PLOS One 16(2), e0245965 · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0245965

Mulindwa et al., 2022 – Cup quality of wilt-resistant clones. Cupped the resistant robusta clones found on farms in three agro-ecological zones. Most scored as premium robusta; KR4 reached specialty grade, and its bean size varied little between sites.

Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 102, 1225–1232 · doi:10.1002/jsfa.11460

Hakiza and Birikunzira, 2000 – Coffee wilt in Uganda. Reviewed the first years of the epidemic. The disease was confirmed in Bundibugyo in 1993 and had reached 18 districts by the end of 1998.

Uganda Journal of Agricultural Sciences 5(1), 17–21 · journal.naro.go.ug

Contested
  • Size of the crop: USDA gives 7.10 million bags (425,700 t, our calculation) for marketing year 2025/26 (October–September)1; FAO gives 402,000 t for calendar year 2024, a figure taken from an external organisation (flag X).3 USDA’s Nairobi office printed lower official figures for 2025/26 in May 2026 (1.06 million bags arabica, 5.815 million robusta) than its own post estimates.5
  • Exports in coffee year 2025/26: 8 million bags in the national monthly report for October 2025 to September 20269; 6.70 million bags in USDA’s July 2026 estimate for the same October–September year.1 The national figure for November 2024 to October 2025 is 8.4 million bags.10 The national series counts certified exports; USDA’s is an estimate made before the year ended.
  • Number of coffee households: about 1.7 million households (ICO profile, prepared with UCDA, 2019; no year of data)8; an estimated 2.5 million households, and elsewhere in the same document over 2.8 million (agriculture ministry, 2026)32; robusta grown by about 21% and arabica by 7% of about 7 million agricultural households in 2019 (statistics office)14; about 500,000 farmers (USDA, 2014, citing UCDA).6 A 2023 review instead gives 1.7 million people engaged in coffee farming, citing UCDA (2017).18 The ICO figure and the review’s figure both trace back to UCDA and are not independent.8,18
  • Altitude: the ICO profile gives robusta at 900–1,500 m in its foreword, 1,200–1,500 m in its history section and 800–1,400 m in its production section, and arabica at 1,300–2,300 m in the foreword but “2,300 to 6,000 metres” in the production section8; an undated profile of the Uganda Investment Authority gives robusta up to 1,200 m and arabica at 1,500–2,300 m.13
  • First coffee institution: the ICO profile names a Coffee Board set up in 1929, which became the Coffee Industry Board in 19438; a 2006 World Bank paper dates the Coffee Industry Board to 1930.27 Both sources put the Coffee Marketing Board in 1959.8,27
  • Arabica introduction: a 2023 review states that arabica “was believed to have been introduced into cultivation in Uganda in 1900”18, and the 2006 World Bank paper gives 1900 as an estate crop27; the ICO profile gives other dates for Bugisu and for seed from Malawi, which rest on that one source and are not given here.8
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Sources

  1. AUSDA Foreign Agricultural Service (2026). Coffee: World Markets and Trade (July 2026). United States Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service.Quoted passage: data; USDA FAS PSD tables, Uganda, marketing years 2021/22–2026/27 (October–September); July 2026 edition.
  2. AFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); processed by Our World in Data (2026). Coffee bean production (FAOSTAT, Crops and livestock products, item Coffee, green). FAO via Our World in Data.Quoted passage: data; FAOSTAT green coffee production, Uganda, calendar years 1961–2024.
  3. AFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2026). FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products (item “Coffee, green”, element “Production”, 2024). FAO, licence CC BY 4.0.Quoted passage: data; FAOSTAT 2024 extract, 78 countries and territories.
  4. AFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); processed by Our World in Data (2026). Coffee bean yields; Coffee bean production (FAOSTAT, Crops and livestock products, item Coffee, green). FAO via Our World in Data.Quoted passage: data; FAOSTAT green coffee yield, Uganda, 1961–2024.
  5. AMiriti, M. (USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, Nairobi) (2026). Uganda: Coffee Annual (UG2026-0001). USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, GAIN report.Quoted passage: data; USDA post estimates for Uganda, MY 2024/25–2026/27; export destinations MY 2024/25.
  6. A(2014). Uganda: Coffee Annual (2014). USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, GAIN report.Quoted passage: data; USDA FAS Nairobi, Uganda, sector as of 2014; farmer count cited from UCDA.
  7. AMutua, J. (2000). Post Harvest Handling and Processing of Coffee in African Countries, Annex 4: Africa Coffee Producing Countries Profiles. FAO (AGSI).Quoted passage: data; FAO country profile, Uganda, about 1999.
  8. A/BInternational Coffee Organization (2019). Country Coffee Profile: Uganda (ICC-124-8). International Coffee Organization.Quoted passage: data; ICO/UCDA country profile, 2019; counts without year of data; history as description.
  9. ACoffee Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Uganda (2026). Monthly Coffee Report – September 2026 (Coffee Year 2025/26, Issue 12). ugandacoffee.go.ug.Quoted passage: data; Certified exports, September 2026 and coffee year 2025/26 (October 2025–September 2026).
  10. ACoffee Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Uganda (2025). Monthly Coffee Report – October 2025 (Coffee Year 2025/26, Issue 1). ugandacoffee.go.ug.
  11. AUganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) (2021). Uganda Coffee Development Authority Annual Report 2020/2021. Uganda Coffee Development Authority, Kampala.Quoted passage: data; UCDA, financial year 2020/21 (July–June).
  12. AUganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) (2023). Uganda Coffee Profiles. ugandacoffee.go.ug.
  13. AUganda Investment Authority Coffee sector profile. Uganda Investment Authority, Kampala.Quoted passage: a description; Uganda Investment Authority sector profile, undated (data to 2006/07).
  14. AUganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) (2022). Annual Agricultural Survey (AAS) 2019 – Statistical Release. Uganda Bureau of Statistics, Kampala.Quoted passage: data; UBOS Annual Agricultural Survey 2019, national household shares.
  15. ARepublic of Uganda (2024). The National Coffee (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (Bill No. 29). Uganda Gazette No. 22, Bills Supplement No. 4, 27 March 2024 (Parliament of Uganda).Quoted passage: a definition; Bill text as published 27 March 2024.
  16. APresidential Press Unit, State House Uganda (2024). President Museveni signs National Coffee (Amendment) Bill, 2024 into law. State House Uganda, press release, 23 December 2024.Quoted passage: data; State House press release, 23 December 2024: date of assent.
  17. AParliament of Uganda (2024). Coffee Bill passed seeing UCDA back in mother ministry. Parliament of Uganda, news, 7 November 2024.Quoted passage: data; Parliament news, 7 November 2024: date of passage.
  18. ADavis, A. P.; Kiwuka, C.; Faruk, A.; Mulumba, J.; Kalema, J. (2023). A review of the indigenous coffee resources of Uganda and their potential for coffee sector sustainability and development. Frontiers in Plant Science 13, 1057317. doi:10.3389/fpls.2022.1057317 · other copiesQuoted passage: a result cited from earlier work; Review of Uganda’s indigenous coffee; most statements cite earlier work (see tierNote).
  19. AKiwuka, C.; Goudsmit, E.; Tournebize, R.; de Aquino, S. O.; Douma, J. C.; Bellanger, L.; Crouzillat, D.; Stoffelen, P.; Sumirat, U.; Legnaté, H.; Marraccini, P.; de Kochko, A.; Andrade, A. C.; Mulumba, J. W.; Musoli, P.; Anten, N. P. R.; Poncet, V. (2021). Genetic diversity of native and cultivated Ugandan Robusta coffee (Coffea canephora Pierre ex A. Froehner): Climate influences, breeding potential and diversity conservation. PLOS One 16(2), e0245965. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0245965 · other copiesQuoted passage: the authors’ own result; SSR genotyping of wild C. canephora from seven Ugandan forests (abstract).
  20. ANational Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), National Coffee Research Institute (NaCORI) (2026). NaCORI – National Coffee Research Institute. National Agricultural Research Organisation, Uganda.Quoted passage: data; NaCORI institute page, undated.
  21. AHakiza, G. J.; Birikunzira, J. B. (2000). Current research trends on coffee wilt disease tracheomycosis. Uganda Journal of Agricultural Sciences 5(1), 17–21.Quoted passage: the authors’ own result; Review of coffee wilt in Uganda, 1993–1998 (abstract).
  22. AKangire, A.; Olal, S.; Kabole, C. (2003). Evaluation of potential sources of inoculum for the coffee wilt epidemics in Uganda. Uganda Journal of Agricultural Sciences 8, 37–40.Quoted passage: a result cited from earlier work; Uganda, coffee wilt losses cited from UCDA Annual Report 2000.
  23. AMulindwa, J.; Kaaya, A. N.; Muganga, L.; Paga, M.; Musoli, P.; Sseremba, G.; Wagoire, W. W.; Bitalo, D. N. (2022). Cup quality profiles of Robusta coffee wilt disease resistant varieties grown in three agro-ecologies in Uganda. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 102, 1225–1232. doi:10.1002/jsfa.11460 · other copiesQuoted passage: the authors’ own result; Cupping of five CWD-resistant robusta clones in three Ugandan agro-ecological zones; background figures cited.
  24. A/BWorld Coffee Research (2026). NARO-Kituza Robusta 6 (KR6). World Coffee Research, Coffee Varieties Catalog.Quoted passage: data; WCR catalogue entry for KR6.
  25. A/BWorld Coffee Research SL14. World Coffee Research, Arabica Coffee Varieties catalogue.Quoted passage: data; WCR catalogue entry for SL14.
  26. A/BWorld Coffee Research KP423. World Coffee Research, Arabica Coffee Varieties catalogue.Quoted passage: data; WCR catalogue entry for KP423.
  27. BBaffes, J. (2006). Restructuring Uganda’s Coffee Industry: Why Going Back to the Basics Matters (Policy Research Working Paper 4020). World Bank, Washington, DC.Quoted passage: a description; World Bank working paper, Uganda coffee sector to 2006.
  28. BMbowa, S.; Munyabonera, E.; Nakazi, F. (2019). Coffee Agro-Industrialisation: Uganda’s Coffee Product Space (Case Study 8). Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC), Kampala.Quoted passage: a description; EPRC case study, Uganda, 2019.
  29. AMukasa, D.; Rusinamhodzi, L.; van Asten, P. J. A.; Amwonya, D.; Sseguya, H.; Okiror, F. A.; Kirungi, D.; Wodada, W.; Komakech, V.; Margiotta, S.; Jassogne, L. (2025). A stepwise approach to facilitate adoption of climate smart practices for smallholder coffee production in Uganda. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability 23(1), 2513790. doi:10.1080/14735903.2025.2513790 · other copiesQuoted passage: a result cited from earlier work; Uganda smallholder study (Sironko, Luweero); national yield cited from earlier work.
  30. AOvalle-Rivera, O.; Läderach, P.; Bunn, C.; Obersteiner, M.; Schroth, G. (2015). Projected Shifts in Coffea arabica Suitability among Major Global Producing Regions Due to Climate Change. PLOS One 10(4), e0124155. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0124155 · other copiesQuoted passage: a hypothesis; Global climate-suitability model for C. arabica, projections to the 2050s.
  31. AUganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) (2025). URSB and partners champion Uganda’s first geographical indication: Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon Coffee. Uganda Registration Services Bureau, news, May 2025.Quoted passage: a description; URSB news page on a May 2025 workshop; specification not consulted.
  32. AMinistry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Uganda (2026). Terms of reference for consultancy for the second phase of coffee/cocoa farmer registration and mapping of 1,200,000 coffee farms and 200,000 cocoa farms to comply with traceability and European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). agriculture.go.ug.Quoted passage: data; MAAIF terms of reference, 2026; household counts without year of data.

Tier A · authoritative · B · trade and expert · C · general. Supporting quotes for every source are in the data version of this entry. If a publisher’s site refuses access, try the doi link or “other copies”.

The literature for this entry was last searched on 2 Nov 2026. A statement that no source consulted for this entry shows something refers to the sources above; newer or missing work may exist.

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