Rising Chinese demand fuels surge in Uganda's coffee exports

KAMPALA, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Surging coffee consumption in China is driving a sharp increase in Uganda's coffee exports to the Asian market, officials said at a one-day Uganda-China Coffee, Investment and Destination Conference held here on Tuesday.

Fan Xuecheng, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in Uganda, told the meeting, which was also attended by a delegation of Chinese investors, that a growing number of Chinese companies operating in Uganda are seeking to tap into this opportunity by investing along the country's coffee value chain.

Data from the Chinese embassy show that Uganda's exports to China reached about 138 million U.S. dollars last year, up 73.8 percent year on year. Coffee accounted for the largest share at 62 million dollars, marking a 99.3 percent increase.

Fan attributed the growth partly to China's zero-tariff policy covering 100 percent of tariff lines for African products since December 2024. He said that expanding the policy to 53 African countries with diplomatic ties to China, starting May 1, is expected to deliver further gains for countries such as Uganda.

Vincent Bagiire, permanent secretary at Uganda's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the country offers high-quality, distinctive coffee varieties and a fully liberalized, investor-friendly value chain spanning production, processing, branding and export.

Bagiire welcomed the visiting Chinese delegation, noting that its nationwide tour provided first-hand insight into Uganda's vast potential, from its rich coffee heritage to its globally recognized tourism attractions.

China's green coffee bean consumption reached 367,400 tons in 2025, up 6.22 percent year on year, according to the Chinese embassy.

Coffee remains a key commodity in Uganda's economic agenda, with about 1.7 million households depending on the crop, the agriculture ministry said. In fiscal year 2023/2024, Uganda recorded its highest coffee export earnings in 30 years, generating 1.14 billion dollars, compared with 846 million dollars in the previous year.