Uganda Farm Market

East Africa

Mixed Market

Currency: Ugandan Shilling (UGX)

Country Code: UG

Market Overview

Uganda has one of Africa's most fertile agricultural landscapes, with year-round rainfall across most of the country. It is the world's largest exporter of Robusta coffee (second after Vietnam) and a leading producer of maize, banana/plantain, cassava, and beans. Agriculture employs ~70% of the workforce and accounts for ~23% of GDP. Growing focus on value addition and regional export via EAC frameworks.

Top Crops

Coffee (Robusta)MaizeBanana/PlantainCassavaBeansTea Cocoa Rice Soybean Potato

Export Destinations

✓ EU (coffee, cocoa)
✓ Kenya (grain, beans)
✓ South Sudan (food trade)
✓ Rwanda
✓ DRC

Key Buyers

Kampala City wholesale market (Owino/St Balikuddembe)
Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA)
National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) offtakers
East Africa regional grain traders

Growing Zones in Uganda

Central & Buganda

Altitude: 1,100–1,500 m

Bimodal humid. Banana-coffee landscape.

Speciality: Coffee (Robusta), banana (Matooke), beans, maize

Western Uganda (Mt Rwenzori)

Altitude: 1,200–2,500 m

Highland; cool, high rainfall. Arabica coffee potential.

Speciality: Arabica coffee, Irish potato, maize, tea

Northern Uganda

Altitude: 900–1,300 m

Sub-Sahel; single rainfall season. Post-conflict recovery zone.

Speciality: Maize, sesame, soybean, sunflower, cotton

Eastern Uganda

Altitude: 1,000–2,000 m

Bimodal; fertile volcanic soils (Mount Elgon).

Speciality: Coffee, maize, banana, rice (Doho scheme), vegetable

Seasonal Calendar

MarchFirst season planting (maize, beans); coffee cherry blossom

JuneFirst season harvest; coffee harvest begins (Robusta main crop)

SeptemberSecond season planting begins

NovemberSecond season harvest; soybean and sesame harvest (north)

DecemberCoffee peak harvest; cocoa main crop

Logistics & Trade Routes

Entebbe Airport for air freight; Mombasa Port (via Kenya) for sea freight. Northern Corridor road is main export route (Kampala–Nairobi–Mombasa). Cold-chain is limited outside Kampala; GeraFarm cold-chain routing tools are critical for perishable vegetable export.