Uganda
The pearl of African coffee
SCA Score
84.0 - 85.5
Farmers
45
Price (USD/kg)
$3.96 USD - $7.25 USD
Bag size: 60kg
Main port: Mombassa, in Kenya
There are more smallholder coffee farmers in Uganda than in any other producing country. The 1.7 million family farms average one-quarter of a hectare, similar to Kenya, and rely largely on family labour. The majority of such farms produce Robusta, which is native to Uganda. An estimated 300,000 Arabica producers are split mainly between the two extremes of the country, with two-thirds growing coffee on the West by Mount Rwenzori and one-third on the East by Mount Elgon.
Uganda is the 8th largest coffee producing country in the world and the 2nd in Africa behind Ethiopia. It is, however, the biggest exporter of coffee in the continent, sending millions of bags of Robusta to the international market, especially Germany and Italy. Its share of the market is only 3.3% but Ugandan coffee is on the rise as Covid and the shipping crisis made access to Vietnamese Robusta harder. This newly gained visibility is also benefiting Arabica producers.
Being referred to as the "pearl of Africa" by Winston Churchill in 1908, when the country was still a British colony (it became independent in 1962), we believe Uganda is on the rise to be considered as the pearl of African coffee. Specialty Arabica can taste both delicate and tea-like with a bright citric or sparkling acidity and winey and tropical, with a dry boozy quality, complex acidity and a lingering finish.
Uganda has one of the most liberalized coffee sectors in Africa with all processing facilities in private hands. Sales are done directly and there is no auction system in place. It has been this way for over 30 years, since the collapse of the last ICA (International Coffee Agreement) in 1989 and the debt crisis of the ’90s, which led to a deregulation of the sector. Before then, the Coffee Marketing Board had a monopoly of the industry, from production to distribution. Today, the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) is only responsible for standardising quality control by grading, cupping and classifying all lots prior to shipping.
Featured coffees
-
Mount Elgon Washed A+
Mt Elgon Agroforestry Communities Cooperative Enterprise Ltd Verified Seller
- Origin
- Uganda
- Score
- 85.25
- Process
- Fully washed
- Bags available
- 540 X 60 kg
- Minimum order
- 50 bags
-
Bukyabo FW Organic
Nasaaga Speciality Coffee Foundation Verified Seller
- Origin
- Uganda
- Score
- 84.0
- Process
- Fully washed
- Bags available
- 82 X 60 kg
- Minimum order
- 50 bags
-
Spot offer
Mount Elgon Washed A+
Mt Elgon Agroforestry Communities Cooperative Enterprise Ltd Verified Seller
- Origin
- Uganda
- Score
- 85.5
- Process
- Fully washed
- Bags available
- 3 X 60 kg
- Minimum order
- 1 bag
Featured producers
-
Mt Elgon Agroforestry Communities Cooperative Enterprise Ltd
Offered by Mt Elgon Agroforestry Communities Cooperative Enterprise Ltd Verified Seller
We are fairtrade and Organic certified. We promote Gender balance through different programs. Our members are aware of climate change and are currently implementing a 25million tree planting project with support for the Welsh Government. We are a small holder farmer cooperative where decisions are made by farmers themselves.
- Uganda
- FairTrade, Organic, FairTrade
-
Nasaaga Speciality Coffee Foundation
Offered by Nasaaga Speciality Coffee Foundation Verified Seller
- Uganda
- Organic, Organic
-
Kikobero Coffee Company (KCC) limited
Offered by Kikobero Coffee Company (KCC) limited Verified Seller
Kikobero Coffee is grow, processed and produced by small hold farmers' leaving on the slopes of Mt. Elgon at an elevated attitude of 2000m and above that produces a unique single origin speciality certified organic coffee with a cup score of 84 above.
- Uganda
-
Bushika Integrated Area Cooperative Enterprise Ltd
Offered by Bushika Integrated Area Cooperative Enterprise Ltd Verified Seller
Quality is our speciality
- Uganda
- FairTrade