Uganda is considering gradually phasing out the export of unprocessed coffee and shifting focus to supporting domestic coffee processing and value addition. Private sector leaders believe this transition could reshape farmers' incomes, employment opportunities, and the structure of the country's coffee value chain. The initiative aligns with efforts to attract foreign investment, aiming to expand domestic processing capacity, retain more economic value locally, and promote industrial activity in the coffee sector. Mr. Stephen Asimwe, CEO of a foundation, noted that local coffee processing in Uganda ensures key stages such as blending, packaging, storage, and logistics are completed domestically rather than relying on foreign suppliers. "once value is added locally, jobs are directly created. Exporting raw coffee beans would shift opportunities in blending, packaging, and processing to other countries," he said. He further added that local processing reduces intermediary links, enabling farmers involved in value-added activities to earn higher returns.
