Experts have attributed Uganda’s 190% surge in coffee exports to China in March 2025 to stronger bilateral engagements and targeted trade missions spearheaded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is now pushing for deeper partnerships to sustain this momentum.
The increase positions China as Uganda’s second-largest coffee export destination, a shift officials say is the result of strategic efforts to link local producers directly with Chinese buyers.
Speaking during the First Uganda-China Coffee Trade and Investment Meeting, Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Vincent Waiswa Bagiire emphasised the value of familiarisation tours and business engagements with Chinese investors.
“These tours eliminate middlemen, increasing profit margins for coffee farmers and giving our industry global exposure,” Bagiire said.
“We are showcasing Uganda’s coffee not just as a product but as a brand of quality and uniqueness.”
Bagiire noted that the tours have also boosted investor confidence in Uganda’s coffee value chain, attracting interest in areas such as processing and packaging.
“With China’s expertise in coffee processing, we are learning best practices that can uplift our local industry and make it more competitive,” he said.
Experts also pointed to the significance of people-to-people diplomacy in enhancing trade. Bagiire said these exchanges foster cultural understanding and trust, which are critical to long-term investment. He called for sustained collaboration under frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which provides access to a market of over 1.2 billion people.
“As a top African coffee exporter, Uganda has the potential to drive economic transformation through such partnerships,” Bagiire added. “We aim to increase production to 3.6 million kilograms as part of our long-term export strategy.”
China’s Ambassador to Uganda, Zhang Lizhong, described the growing coffee trade as a new milestone in agro-industrial cooperation between the two countries.
He revealed that following a recent familiarisation tour, Chinese tour operators are planning a tourism charter to Uganda, further linking coffee to economic diplomacy.
“This event demonstrates how many Chinese investors and coffee lovers are turning their attention to Uganda,” said Zhang. “Our countries have agreed to elevate our relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership.”
China, which has seen a 167% rise in coffee consumption over the past decade, imported 150,000 tons of coffee in 2023 valued at \$840 million. Uganda accounted for 8,700 tons worth \$31 million nearly 40% of its total exports to China.
Ambassador Zhang reaffirmed China’s support for Uganda’s agro-industrial growth, citing ten major partnership initiatives announced by President Xi Jinping in 2023, focused on industrialisation, agriculture, and talent development.
Meanwhile, Uganda’s Ambassador to China, Oliver Wonekha, called for joint ventures to expand production and improve export standards.
She emphasised Uganda’s readiness for large-scale investment and showcased its coffee heritage and infrastructure improvements during recent site visits by Chinese investors.
“The visits to Lwengo, Mbale, and the Chinese Business Park highlighted both the quality of our coffee and our capacity to grow,” Wonekha said. “We are planting the seeds of a partnership that will benefit both nations.”
Coffee remains Uganda’s second-largest export after gold and supports millions of smallholder farmers.
With China’s coffee demand growing by 15% annually, officials say the time is ripe for Uganda to cement its role as a key supplier.
Bagiire concluded with a call to action: “China will continue to play a central role in Uganda’s coffee sector. By implementing lessons from these engagements, we can scale up exports, create jobs, and improve livelihoods.”