Uganda, Ethiopia drove Africa’s coffee exports in October – ICO report
Uganda and Vietnam were cited as the two main positive drivers of the latest Robusta exports, which increased by 69.8 percent to 1.59mln bags in October 2025 from 0.94mln bags in the same period a year earlier
KAMPALA, December 18, 2025 — Exports of all forms of coffee from Africa rose by 21.9 percent in October 2025 to 1.73 million bags, up from 1.42mln bags in October 2024, according to the latest released by the International Coffee Organisation [ICO].
The Coffee Market Report November 2025, accessed by this reporter, says Africa closed coffee year 2024/25 having shipped 19.69mln bags, the third-largest volume on record, behind the 20.38mln bags and 20.01mln bags exported in coffee years 1973/74 and 1975/76, respectively.
“The near record-breaking numbers were mainly due to Ethiopia and Uganda, the region’s top two producers, which each exported their own record volumes of 7.37mln bags and 8.26mln bags, respectively,” the report says.
“Good harvests, associated with high international coffee prices and the release of higher-than-usual stock volumes, explain this double-digit growth.”
Ethiopia’s harvest for coffee year 2024/25 is estimated at 9.91mln bags, while Uganda’s stands at 7.05mln bags, the report says. “This trend appears to have continued into the new coffee year, with Ethiopia and Uganda still being the main drivers of the latest double-digit growth in Africa’s exports,” it adds.
Global exports of all forms of coffee increase by 0.6 percent
The report indicates that global exports of all forms of coffee increased by 0.6 percent to 11.16mln bags in October 2025, compared with 11.09mln bags in October 2024.
“Three of the four regions started the new coffee year with expansions of their exports, with South America being the sole region with a negative start. Given the magnitude of both its share of total exports and the decrease observed in October 2025, South America’s downturn was substantial enough to outweigh almost all the upturns in the other three regions,” the report says.
The report says South America’s exports of all forms of coffee decreased by 13.0 percent to 5.89mln bags from 6.77mln bags in October 2024. “This is the 11th consecutive month of negative growth for the region, following a 16-month streak of positive growth,” says the report.
The ICO report also covers Mexico and Central America; and Asia & Oceania. Exports of all forms of coffee from Asia & Oceania were up 23.9 percent to 3.03mln bags in October 2025 from 2.44mln bags in October 2024. The latest double-digit growth was mainly driven by Vietnam, whose exports increased by 52.7 percent to 1.29mln bags in October 2025 as compared with 0.84mln bags in the same period a year ago, says the report.
The report indicates all exports of all forms of coffee from Mexico & Central America increased by 11.5% to 0.51 million bags as compared with 0.46 million bags in October 2024. The region closed coffee year 2024/25 with an increase of 6.4 percent, the first annual expansion since the 3.9 percent growth observed in coffee year 2020/21. The main source of the growth was Mexico and Nicaragua, whose exports rose 20.9 percent and 17.1 percent, respectively. “In the first month of the new coffee year, the same two origins remained the main drivers of the dynamics of Mexico & Central America’s exports, which were up 30.8 percent and 47.9 percent, respectively,” says the report.
Global green bean exports
According to the report, global green bean exports totalled 9.76mln bags in October 2025, up 1.9 percent from 9.57mln bags in October 2024.
“This marks the second consecutive year in which the coffee season started with record shipments, setting the highest October export volume on record, albeit with only a shallow rate of expansion,” the report says.
With the exception of Brazilian Naturals, all groups of coffee began the new coffee year positively, led by Other Milds and Robustas, which posted the strongest absolute year-on-year gains.
Uganda, Vietnam dominate Robusta coffee exports
The ICO report shows that green bean exports of Robustas rose by 6.8 percent to 3.04mln bags in October 2025 from 2.85mln bags in October 2024.
Uganda and Vietnam were cited as the two main positive drivers of the latest Robusta exports, which increased by 69.8 percent to 1.59mln bags in October 2025 from 0.94mln bags in the same period a year earlier.
“The main counterpoint to this large, combined upturn was Brazil, whose exports of Robustas fell by 51.9 percent to 0.45mln bags in October 2025, down from 0.93mln bags in October 2024,” the report says.
“This partly reflects the continued dominant trend in green bean Robusta exports observed in coffee year 2024/25, marked by a downturn in Brazil and upturns in Indonesia and Vietnam.”
However, the continuation of this trend was only partial, as Indonesia saw its exports fall for the first time in 16 months in October 2025, declining by 4.4 percent to 0.62mln bags from 0.64mln bags in October 2024.
“Despite this negative monthly growth rate, there does not appear to be a reversal in Indonesia’s Robusta exports trend; rather, it likely indicates an ongoing recovery from the 2023/24 downturn, when Robusta exports fell by 37.0 percent,” the report says.
Meanwhile, total Arabicas exports declined to 6.716mln bags in October 2025, down 0.1 percent from 6.724mln bags in October 2024.
“As a result, the Arabicas’ share of total green bean exports fell to 68.8 percent from 70.2 percent over the two periods,” the report adds.
The report concludes that green beans remained by far the largest form of coffee exported, accounting for 87.5 percent of total exports in October 2025, while soluble and roasted coffee represented 12.2 percent and 0.4 percent, respectively. “Total exports of soluble coffee decreased by 7.1 percent in October 2025 to 1.36mln bags from 1.46mln bags in October 2024.
Brazil, Indonesia and Vietnam were the biggest exporters of soluble coffee in October 2025, having shipped 0.304mln bags, 0.312mln bags and 0.314mln bags, respectively.
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