Uganda has emerged as a key driver of Africa’s coffee export growth after shipments from the continent rose significantly in January 2026, according to the latest report by the International Coffee Organization (ICO).
The report shows that Africa’s coffee exports increased by 15.3 percent to 1.27 million bags in January 2026, compared with 1.1 million bags recorded during the same month in 2025.
The expansion was largely propelled by Uganda, whose exports surged by 25.1 percent to 0.69 million bags, up from 0.55 million bags a year earlier.
“This growth has been mainly driven by rising production, which is also likely behind the latest increase in exports,” the report noted.
According to the ICO’s February 2026 Coffee Market Report, Uganda’s export performance has been steadily improving since the 2023/24 coffee year, reflecting increased production and favourable international prices.
Shipments from Uganda surpassed the seven-to-eight million bag range for the first time in the 2024/25 coffee year, reaching 8.26 million bags, a milestone that signals the country’s growing influence in the global coffee trade.
The report further indicates that Uganda’s production is expected to expand even more during the 2025/26 coffee year, with projections suggesting growth of more than 10 percent.
Uganda was also among the countries contributing to the surge in global Robusta coffee exports.
Globally, exports of green bean Robusta coffee jumped by 49.1 percent to 5.25 million bags in January 2026, up from 3.52 million bags during the same month last year.
The increase was mainly driven by Vietnam, whose shipments rose sharply by 73.3 percent to 3.69 million bags.
The report notes that India, Indonesia, and Uganda also played a positive role in boosting Robusta exports, with their combined shipments increasing by 20.4 percent to 1.2 million bags, compared with 1.0 million bags in January 2025.
“These gains were partly offset by Brazil, where Robusta exports declined by 25 percent to 0.18 million bags,” the report states.
The ICO explains that while some changes in global supply reflect market adjustments, Uganda’s export growth appears to be more structural.
“By contrast, Uganda’s growth appears structural, with exports on a sustained upward trajectory since mid-2023/24,” the report says.
Uganda exported a record 7.32 million bags in 2024/25, supported by rising production, strong international prices and increased drawdowns from existing stocks.
Under its national Coffee Roadmap launched in 2017, Uganda has set an ambitious target of producing 20 million bags of coffee annually by 2030.
Meanwhile, the report shows that global exports of Arabica coffee declined in January 2026. Shipments fell by 8.3 percent to 5.59 million bags, down from 6.1 million bags recorded in January 2025.
As a result, Arabica’s share of total green bean exports during the first four months of the 2025/26 coffee year dropped to 61.1 percent, compared with 66.4 percent during the same period a year earlier.
Overall, global green bean exports reached 10.85 million bags in January 2026, representing a 12.7 percent increase from 9.63 million bags recorded in January 2025.
The ICO notes that green beans remain the dominant form of coffee traded globally, accounting for 85.23 percent of total exports, while soluble coffee and roasted coffee represented 14.24 percent and 0.53 percent, respectively, during the first four months of the current coffee year.
