Commercial Coffee Growing in Uganda

Coffee has been and remains Uganda’s leading cash crop. It has been Uganda’s top foreign exchange earner for decades until two years ago when it was overtaken by tourism industry. However, due to the effects of COVID-19 global outbreak, the tourism industry has been brought to its knees, pushing coffee back to its number one position in Foreign Exchange Earning. Uganda is among the top 10 coffee producers in the world. Coffee exports for the Financial Year 2019/20 amounted to 5,103,771-kilo bags worth US$ 496 million compared to 4,168,408 60-kilo bags worth US$ 415 million the previous year. This represents 22% and 19% increase in both quantity and value respectively. The increase in exports has been attributed to the increased production on account of fruition of the newly planted coffee, and favorable weather, the lower global prices due to COVID-19 related lower demand from consuming countries notwithstanding. Exports were to some extent constrained by delays especially at Malaba border post whereby drivers undergo thorough testing for COVID-19 pandemic. Uganda’s output is set to hit 7 million bags this year which may earn the country an estimated US$686M. The government of Uganda through OWC has distributed 300 million coffee seedlings; this will help lift coffee production from four million to 7 million bags of coffee annually by 2020.

Coffee accounts for 20% of Uganda’s export revenues. It is estimated that 20% of the entire population earn all or a large part of their cash income from coffee. In fact available information indicates that at least 1.7 million households rely on coffee industry for income but the sector also employs a number of people both directly and indirectly. It is reported that 200 million coffee seedlings have been distributed in recent years by NAADS/Operation Wealth Creation and more 100 million coffee seedlings are set to be distributed, taking the total to 300 million. This means in the next five years, Uganda’s coffee production is set to increase exponentially if best agronomic practices and effective/management of the coffee sector are implemented.

Available Coffee Seedlings Verities

Available at our Nurseries, we have the following coffee seedlings varieties:-

1. Elite Robusta: This is a 2nd Generation of Clonal Coffee Robusta Coffee (Coffea canephora), It is grown in the low altitude areas of Uganda, ranging from about 900 meters to 1,200 meters above sea level. It has a shallow root system and grows as a robust tree or shrub to about 10 m tall. It flowers irregularly, taking about 10–11 months for cherries to ripen depending on rainfall distribution, producing oval-shaped beans. Robusta Coffee has a greater crop yield per tree than that of Arabica, contains more caffeine (2.7% compared to Arabica’s 1.5% and contains less sugar (3–7% compared to Arabica’s 6–9%). It is less susceptible to pests and disease, thus, needs less fungicides and pesticides than Arabica. The price per seedling of Elite Robusta Coffee is Ugx 500. Under good agronomical practices, management and care, Elite Robusta, will give first flowers within 16 months of Planting. Elite Robusta coffee yield will give you a minimum of 5kg per plant e.g. 2,250kg per season, with a corresponding gross income of 5,625,000m shs per acre per season.

2. Clonal Coffee: Clonal Robusta Coffee is vegetatively propagated using the nodal stem cuttings. The available 10 lines of Clonal Robusta Coffee, are high yielding and resistant to Coffee Wilt

3. Disease. The Robusta clonal lines we propagate are KR1-KR10. These lines, are commonly referred to as KR-lines. The KR1-KR10 Yield between 2,200kg-4,800Kg/ha/cc/year, they are resistant to leaf rust, tolerant to RBD resistant to CWD (Coffee Wilt Disease), has big beans, good cup quality. The price per seedling of Clonal Coffee is Ugx 1500. Under good agronomical practices, management and care, Clonal Robusta Coffee, will give first flowers within 12 months of Planting. Clonal Robusta coffee yield will give you a minimum of 2,200kg a maximum of 4,800kg per acre, with a corresponding gross income of 12,000,000m shs.

How Can Coffee Transform Uganda

As coffee nursery operators and distributors, we're doing a lot of research about coffee. Coffee can transform Uganda’s economy if handled well. For example, one acre if managed well can give you an average of Shs9m. This is because an acre accommodates 450 seedlings considering spacing of 10ft (3 metres) from one plant to another. This is for Robusta coffee. With an average of 5kgs per plant, a farmer will harvest 2250kgs of unshelled coffee (kiboko) per season. With an average price of Shs 2500 per kilo (as at 31st May 2017 UCDA) a farmer will earn Shs4.9m. Given that there are two coffee seasons in a year, a farmer could earn Shs9m in a year.

The current prices for This is at a lower level because it is possible to harvest 10kgs per tree which could earn a farmer Shs9m in a single season. With two acres, a farmer can earn an average of Shs20m per year. Noteworthy, if you add value to your coffee, the returns will be much higher. Needless to say, coffee can be grown in many parts of Uganda, meaning that if each household grew a minimum of an acre, poverty would be history. Coffee takes an average of three years to start producing. The costs of maintaining coffee especially after reaching the flowering stage is quite low. Coffee seedlings are given free of charge to farmers by the government. However, if you want to buy, the price ranges from Shs300-500. Market indicators are that coffee is likely to remain stable in coming years as more people increasingly consume it globally. I believe if Uganda ups production and ensures quality, it could become one of the top five coffee producers in the world and consequently foreign exchange earnings from coffee will skyrocket.

Soil Type & Land Selection

For successful coffee production, a free draining soil with minimum depth of 3 feet before reaching an impermeable soil is required. Coffee will not tolerate water logging or wet feet. Coffee may be grown on different soil types, but the ideal is fertile, volcanic red earth or deep, sandy loam. For good productivity, avoid heavy clay or poor drained soils. coffee prefers a soil pH OF 5.5 to 7.0 where the required mineral nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, calcium, magnesium and molybdenum are at their peaks. Low pH 5.0 or high pH of higher than 7.5 will limit crop performance due to lack of major mineral nutrients.

Hole / Preparation

Planting holes should be dug after it has rained prior to planting. As the soils would still be moist, digging is made easier. The size of the hole is 45 cm square at the top, and is 45 cm deep. In digging the sub-soil should be heaped to one side of the hole, and the top-soil to the other. The hole is left to weather for about 2-3 months.

Refilling Plant Holes

At the onset of the rains, the holes are filled, the top soil going in first. This is followed by the sub-soil mixed with one tin of well-rotted manure or compost for each hole.

UGANDA GOVERNMENT FREE SEEDLINGS

Government has resumed distribution of Free Coffee Seedlings, kindly contact your regional District Coordinator on how and when to access seedlings.

Coffee Growing Manuals

You can download the most updated coffee growing manuals in Uganda e.g.

To place your order for seedlings, and for more inquiries, kindly contact us by cs@greeninguganda.com" or by phone 0752-200003 / 0776200002 or Whatsapp 0776200002 or Visit our offices in Kisubi Entebbe Road Google Map. You can also visit our facebook page for more information Facebook Page link