China's expanded zero-tariff policy for African goods is expected to significantly boost Uganda's coffee exports and raise household incomes, a leading Ugandan coffee entrepreneur has told Xinhua.
Nelson Tugume, chief executive officer of Inspire Africa Group, which owns the African Coffee Park in Uganda's western district of Ntungamo, said that China's new policy offers a far more conducive business environment compared with markets that continue to impose high tariffs on African products.
Effective from Dec. 1, 2024, China has granted zero-tariff treatment to all least developed countries with which it has diplomatic relations, including 33 African nations on 100 percent of their products.
An extension of zero-tariff treatment was later announced to cover 100 percent of tariff lines for all 53 African countries that have diplomatic ties with China.
Tugume said the policy, combined with China's rising demand for coffee and uncertainties in major coffee-producing countries, creates a timely opportunity for Ugandan farmers seeking new and stable markets.
"For any business interested in growth, you go where the environment is conducive," he said, ahead of the flag-off of a consignment of locally sourced and processed coffee bound for China.
He said that to meet China's standards and ensure a sustainable supply, Uganda must prepare adequately.
"We have seen countries grow and learn from each other," Tugume said, noting that more than 40 Inspire Africa staff had recently returned from China after acquiring technical skills. Another 40 employees will be sent to China to master the technologies used in coffee processing machinery.
"For our people to understand, there must be a transfer of knowledge. We have partners in China who have allowed us to get into their factories and learn how these technologies are working," he added.
Data from Uganda's Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries indicate that coffee exports to China surged by 190 percent in March 2025 alone, making China Uganda's second-largest coffee market in Asia.
Earlier this month, the ministry also reported that Ugandan exporters secured deals worth 3 million U.S. dollars at the China International Import Expo.
During the event, Uganda signed a memorandum of understanding with Cotti Coffee, a Chinese private coffeehouse brand, to promote Ugandan coffee across China. The partnership will connect Ugandan farmers and processors directly with Cotti Coffee, which operates more than 7,500 outlets in 28 countries.
Coffee remains one of Uganda's key commodities for economic transformation, with about 1.8 million households depending on the crop, according to the agriculture ministry.
