KAMPALA - A delegation of Chinese investors is touring Uganda to establish business ties with local coffee farmers, as demand for the cash crop surges in China's rapidly expanding market.
After visiting various coffee farms as well as farmers' cooperatives in the eastern and western parts of the East African country, the visiting Chinese delegation, alongside officials from the Chinese embassy and the Ugandan government, convened here on Tuesday to discuss strategies for boosting coffee exports to China.
"This visit marks a significant milestone in strengthening agricultural trade and investment ties between our two countries," said Vincent Bagiire, permanent secretary of Uganda's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while addressing the Uganda-China Coffee Trade and Investment Conference.
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"The tour's objective is to showcase Uganda's coffee potential, attract investment in value addition, and promote our coffee globally," he said, stressing that Uganda, as Africa's second-largest coffee producer after Ethiopia, is well positioned to tap into China's vast market.
"With China's growing demand for premium and specialty coffees, Uganda's high-quality Arabica and Robusta beans are perfectly suited to meet this demand," Bagiire said, adding that the country's exports to China have seen a remarkable surge, with a 190 percent increase in March 2025 alone, positioning China as Uganda's second-largest coffee market in Asia.
Ugandan Ambassador to China Oliver Wonekha said the tour is a testament to the shared commitment between Uganda and China to foster meaningful collaboration in the coffee sector.
"Our coffee sector is a cornerstone of the economy, supporting millions of smallholder farmers and contributing significantly to our national GDP. With our Robusta and Arabica varieties gaining international acclaim, Uganda is well positioned to meet the growing demand in China's dynamic coffee market, which is expanding at an impressive rate of 15 percent annually," Wonekha said.
She said Uganda is committed to removing barriers and creating a seamless pathway for Ugandan coffee to reach Chinese consumers. "Let us work together to establish joint ventures that leverage Uganda's coffee expertise and China's market reach. Let us prioritize technology transfer to enhance farming practices and processing capabilities," Wonekha added.
Feng Zhiqiang, executive director of Guangzhou Yike Food Company, said that the Chinese delegation has been impressed by the professionalism demonstrated throughout Uganda's coffee value chain.
"We can see that the coffee industry in Uganda is undergoing a sophisticated transformation. Whether in Robusta or Arabica, many demonstration areas are equipped with international standards," he added.
Zhang Lizhong, Chinese ambassador to Uganda, said that China's coffee consumption has surged by 167 percent over the past decade, reaching 350,000 tons annually. In 2023, China's coffee imports saw a 20 percent year-on-year growth, totaling 150,000 tons, valued at nearly $840 million.
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China and Africa are good partners on a path to modernization, and China supports the independent development and self-reliance of African countries, Zhang said.
Coffee is one of the major commodities prioritized by Uganda to boost economic transformation. About 1.7 million households in the country depend on coffee production, according to the country's agriculture ministry.
Last year, according to the agriculture ministry, the country earned its highest coffee foreign exchange earnings in 30 years. The country earned $1.14 billion from coffee exports in fiscal year 2023/2024, up from 846 million dollars in the previous year.
