Kampala, Uganda | The Government of Uganda has reassured coffee farmers and stakeholders that the country’s coffee industry will not be adversely affected by the upcoming European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which takes effect on December 30, 2025. The EUDR is an EU initiative designed to curb deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions by ensuring that imported agricultural products are sourced sustainably.
While the regulation targets commodities including cattle, cocoa, palm oil, rubber, soy, and wood, Uganda’s primary concern is coffee, which accounts for 65 percent of the country’s exports to the EU. Under the EUDR, all coffee producers intending to export to Europe must comply with traceability requirements, including registering their farms and providing verified data on farmers to a national database.
Keimusya Rauben, Assistant Commissioner for Coffee Production, said that 1.5 million farmers have already been registered and that by mid-October, all 2.5 to 2.8 million coffee farmers in Uganda will be included in the system and issued traceability numbers. The ministry is also preparing to issue due diligence certificates to exporters by October 15 to ensure full compliance.
Speaking at a multi-stakeholder dialogue organized by SEATINI Uganda in partnership with the Department of Coffee Development, Rauben emphasized that Uganda is leading most of Africa in EUDR compliance despite being classified by the EU in May as a “Standard Risk Country.” This classification means exporters must conduct full due diligence on coffee farms, though it does not indicate poor performance by Uganda.
The EUDR sets December 30 as the compliance deadline for large coffee producers, while smallholder farmers have until June 2026. Some farmers, however, have expressed concern about limited outreach and communication regarding registration, fearing that lack of information may negatively affect exports or be used for tax purposes.
Patrick Nayum Akab, a farmer from Mbale, noted that registration efforts are unclear at the grassroots level, leaving many coffee growers confused about the process. In response, Rauben assured that the functions previously carried out by the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) continue under the Department of Coffee Development, with all former staff integrated into the new structure.
Jane Nalunga, Executive Director of SEATINI-Uganda, also highlighted the need for greater engagement with smallholder farmers, who make up a substantial portion of Uganda’s coffee production. She stressed that compliance efforts should not focus solely on large farmers, as exporters will begin sourcing coffee for the December export season well before the official deadline.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives is encouraging the development of local and continental coffee markets to reduce dependency on international buyers. Georgina Nampeera Mugerwa, Acting Assistant Commissioner at the Ministry, said initiatives such as simplified customs procedures and the electronic single window platform are helping Uganda’s coffee exports, particularly for a landlocked country.
Under the EUDR, countries are classified by risk levels, which dictate the scrutiny applied to exports. Only four nations Belarus, North Korea, Myanmar, and Russia are deemed “High Risk,” requiring the strictest compliance checks. Uganda falls into the “Standard Risk” category, alongside major producers like Brazil, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Exporters from standard-risk countries must complete full due diligence, but only 3 percent of goods are subject to checks by authorities. Low-risk countries, including Rwanda, Kenya, and Burundi, face lighter verification requirements.
The Ugandan government’s assurance and ongoing farmer registration efforts aim to ensure that the country’s coffee exports continue uninterrupted, protecting both farmers and the broader industry from potential disruptions as the EUDR comes into force.