Mwanyi Terimba Limited, a Ugandan coffee export company, has been officially certified to export coffee beans to China.
The certification, issued by Uganda’s Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries, highlights the company’s compliance with The Plant Protection and Health Act of 2016 and related import and export regulations.
Under registration number UG/GACC/2024/0063, Mwanyi Terimba Limited successfully passed a rigorous sanitary and phytosanitary systems (SPS) audit, confirming the company meets all required international standards for safe export.
Dr. Paul Mwambu, Commissioner for Crop Inspection and Certification at the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) of Uganda, said the “certificate is valid for one year” and can be renewed upon application.
Ongoing inspections and audits will ensure the company maintains compliance with all regulatory requirements, Mwambu emphasized.
The Kingdom of Buganda recently announced that Mwanyi Terimba was preparing to establish a coffee processing plant in the region.
The plant will focus on processing locally grown coffee into roasted and ground products, shifting Uganda’s coffee exports from raw beans to value-added goods.
This development reflects Mwanyi Terimba’s broader strategy to capture a larger share of global markets like China, where demand for premium Ugandan coffee is growing.
Mwanyi Terimba’s dual focus on export expansion and local value addition positions the company as a key player in Uganda’s coffee sector.
Buganda produces a large portion of Uganda’s coffee, especially Robusta coffee, as the region’s climate and altitude are ideal for this variety.
The region contributes to a significant share of Uganda’s total coffee production, which was estimated at approximately 7 million 60-kg bags annually as of 2023.
Most coffee farming in Buganda is done by smallholder farmers with plots averaging 0.5 to 2 hectares. These farmers rely heavily on coffee as a source of income.
Buganda has benefited from government and private-sector initiatives, such as the distribution of improved coffee seedlings and training programs to increase yields.
Uganda, which is the 8th largest coffee exporter globally and the 2nd largest in Africa, after Ethiopia, exported 6.5 million 60-kg bags of coffee in 2023, earning approximately $862 million USD.
Uganda’s primary coffee export destinations include the European Union, the United States, and the Middle East. The largest importer is Italy, followed by Germany, Spain, and Belgium.
