Government has reassured farmers over the recent drop in coffee prices, emphasising that it is not responsible for the decline.
Senior presidential advisor on agribusiness and value addition, Dr Hillary Emmanuel Musoke (popularly known as Kisanja), instead encouraged farmers to remain resilient, focus on quality and embrace cooperative farming as key drivers for transforming the agriculture sector.
Speaking during a farmers’ day event held at Ssanze-Kakuuto in Kyotera district on Monday, Musoke urged coffee farmers not to lose heart due to current market volatility, noting that prices are expected to rebound in the near future.
He attributed the current downturn in global coffee prices, particularly for Robusta beans, to a market oversupply, driven by increased production in leading coffee-producing nations, such as Brazil and Vietnam. Uganda’s coffee export earnings surged by 153.1%, rising from $84.70m (sh313.39b) in April, last year to $214.38m (sh793.20b) in April, this year.
This dramatic increase was fuelled by a combination of higher global prices — up 42.3% from $3.62/kg to $5.15kg and increased export volumes, which jumped from 391,307 to 694,318 sixty-kilogramme bags.
The strong performance was largely supported by bumper harvests in Masaka and southwestern Uganda, aided by government-led coffee intensification programs.
However, coffee futures have reached their lowest levels in months, with some contracts dipping to rates last seen in January.
In Uganda, farm-gate prices for dry coffee cherries have dropped from sh6,500 to sh4,500.
Focus on quality
Musoke emphasised the need for a shift in mindset among farmers, urging them to focus on quality over quantity.
He echoed President Yoweri Museveni’s longstanding guidance on agricultural transformation through value addition.
“The future lies not in planting more, but in processing smarter and selling better,” Musoke said.
He highlighted that organised farming, through cooperatives, provides farmers with better access to skills, resources, markets and government support.
The Government, he revealed, has released targeted funding to support farmers operating in organised groups, aiming to boost technical skills and improve economic resilience.
“Without unity and quality, many farmers will continue to miss out on the benefits of Government programmes,” he warned.
Musoke pointed out that shifting from exporting raw produce to value-added products can significantly increase farmers’ earnings— by three to five times in many cases.
“Farmers who roast and brand their coffee, process bananas into flour or snacks, or turn milk into yogurt or cheese stand to earn far more than those who sell raw produce,” he said.
Reinvest
Former Bishop of West Buganda Diocese, the Rt Rev. Katumba Tamale, called on farmers to rethink their attitudes toward agriculture, urging them to embrace it as a dignified and profitable career.
“Farming should not be seen as a punishment or fallback, but as a source of pride and stability,” he said.
Pastor Fred Ssekyewa, a leader of coffee farmers in Kyotera, Rakai and Lwengo districts, acknowledged the sector’s role in improving household incomes, but appealed for greater government support in addressing persistent challenges, such as water shortage, poor roads, and costly inputs.
Kyotera district chairperson Patrick Kintu Kisekulo and resident district commissioner Appolo Mugume also addressed the gathering, urging farmers to reinvest coffee profits into sustainable enterprises.
The duo pledged to crack down on the rising incidence of coffee theft in the region.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Musoke (left) handing over a Knapsack sprayer to a farmer in Kyotera on Monday.(Photo by Joseph Makumbi)
