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Optimism amidst Turkey coffee exports surge

BE Editor 1st Jul, 2024 Agriculture Pedson Mumbere
Optimism amidst Turkey coffee exports surge

Coffee beans. Ugandan robusta coffee is popular with instant coffee makers for its flavour.


Ugandan coffee exporters have found a new market in Turkey as coffee producers worldwide brace themselves for new European Union regulations that bar coffee products that are sourced from countries that degrade the environment.

According to figures from Uganda’s Embassy in Turkey, coffee exports to the country have grown from a modest 2,000 bags in 2019 to 44,000 bags currently.

Julius Mwijutsya, the officer in charge of Economic and Commercial Diplomacy at the Uganda Embassy in Ankara, said Ugandan coffee has gained popularity in Turkey due to its excellent intrinsic characteristics. “In particular, there is a strong demand for Robusta coffees, especially Screen 18 and Screen 15, which Uganda can supply,” he said.

  • He added that the potential revenue gains are substantial, with estimates suggesting that the value of Uganda’s coffee exports to Turkey could top USD 1.5 billion (UGX5.5 trillion) by 2025.

Historically, the European Union (EU) remains the biggest consumer of Ugandan coffee, accounting for almost 70% of our coffee exports. EU countries such as Germany, Spain, Belgium and Italy are the leading consumers of both Robusta and Arabica coffees from Uganda.

However, the EU has set stringent European Union Deforestation-free Regulations (EUDR), a “legal framework to halt and reverse EU-driven global deforestation” with the objective of reducing Europe’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and global biodiversity loss.

  • The regulations are due to take effect on January 1, 2025 and could potentially hit the exports of many countries, including Uganda.
Optimism amidst Turkey coffee exports surgeA coffee plant with ripening coffee beans. The EU traceability rules require retailers to trace their products to the garden where the coffee was grown.

The regulations state that importers within the EU would be required to trace the coffee on the market “back to the plot of land where it was produced” and the products found to have been grown on formerly forested land would be blocked.

This is forcing coffee exporters to look to new markets such as China, United Arab Emirates and non-EU member States like Turkey and Russia.

"Turkey offers a significant opportunity for Ugandan coffee exporters, with its large population and growing economy making it an attractive market," Mwijutsya said, adding that given Turkey’s economic potential and Uganda’s goal to expand its coffee exports, they had concentrated on establishing a strong presence in the Turkish market and the efforts are yielding impressive results.

The Uganda Embassy in Ankara has been actively promoting Ugandan coffee in Turkey through various activities such as participation in the Coffex International Coffee Exhibition in Istanbul, which has helped to raise awareness about Ugandan coffee and its unique characteristics.

  • characteristics. With the support of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mwijutsya said Ugandan coffee can establish a strong presence in the Turkish market and contribute to Uganda’s economic growth.
  • Uganda’s robusta coffee is highly competitive on the global market thanks to its strong flavor, which make it a favourite for various coffee blenders and instant coffee producers. Globally, coffee exports in 2024 are expected to rise by 8.4 million bags to 119.92 million bags, primarily due to increased shipments from Brazil, Colombia and Ethiopia.

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