Uganda’s export earnings rise 11.0 percent in June 2026 – report

KAMPALA, June 22, 2026 — Uganda’s export earnings in June 2026 amounted to US$ 1.3 billion, an increase of 11.0 percent from US$ 1.2bln in June 2025, driven by higher earnings from gold, cotton, electricity, tobacco, maize and flowers, according to the latest report compiled by the Finance ministry.

The report, dubbed The Performance of the Economy Monthly Report July 2026, states that coffee export receipts declined by 36.3 percent to US$ 184.43 million in June 2026, compared to US$289.60mln in June 2025. According to the report, the decline was driven by both lower coffee export volumes and prices.

The report says coffee export volumes dropped from 1,014,062 60-kilogramme bags in June 2025 to 773,308 60-kg bags in June 2026, partly due to dry weather conditions that affected some coffee crops. The average coffee price also fell from US$ 4.76 per kilogramme in June 2025 to US$ 3.97 per kilogramme in June 2026, reflecting declining international coffee prices.

The lower international prices were largely attributed to increased supply from key coffee-producing countries such as Brazil and Vietnam.

Italy remained the leading destination for Uganda’s coffee exports, accounting for 31.3 percent of total coffee exports. It was followed by Sudan [12.9 percent], Germany [7.9 percent], India [6.5 percent] and Morocco [5.0 percent].

Destination of exports

The report says the Middle East emerged as the country’s top destination for exports, accounting for about half [49.8 percent] of total exports in June 2026, with 98.9 percent of these exports received by the United Arab Emirates.

“This shows an increasing dependence on one trading partner, exposing the country to risk in the event of a negative shock in the United Arab Emirates, hence the need to intensify efforts in diversifying export markets,” says the report.

Other notable destinations for Uganda’s exports were the EAC, with a market share of 24.9 percent, followed by the European Union [11.2 percent] and Asia [8.5 percent].

“Altogether, the 4 regional blocs accounted for 94.4 percent of exports in June 2026,” says the report.

Imports

The value of merchandise imports increased by 33.2 percent, rising to US$ 1.9bln in June 2026 from US$ 1.4bln in June 2025.

“This growth was entirely driven by higher private sector imports,” says the report, which mentions mineral products; petroleum products; chemical and related products; plastics, rubber and related products; and machinery, equipment, vehicles and accessories.

Origin of imports

The EAC was the largest source of Uganda’s imports, accounting for 44.6 percent of total imports in June 2026. Some 95.7 percent of imports from the EAC were sourced from Kenya [46.9 percent], Burundi [25.3 percent] and Tanzania [23.5 percent].

Other notable sources of imports were Asia, which accounted for 38.3 percent of total imports. Almost 80 percent of imports from Asia were sourced from China [40.8 percent] and India [39.1 percent].

Compared to June 2025, the East African Community [EAC] was still Uganda’s largest source of imports, accounting for 34.1 percent of total imports. Asia was the second-largest source, with a share of 30.9 percent, followed by the Rest of Africa [15.6 percent] and the Middle East [11.4 percent].

Trade balance by region

With the exception of the Middle East and the Rest of Africa, Uganda registered trade deficits with the other regional blocs.

The blocs with the largest trade deficits were Asia [US$ 611.22mln] and the EAC [US$ 520.06mln]. The trade surpluses registered for the Middle East and the Rest of Africa amounted to US$ 550.04mln and US$ 17.93mln, respectively.

https://thecooperator.news/ugandas-exports-rise-24-3-percent-despite-decline-in-coffee-earnings/

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