Global coffee prices slipped slightly on the major futures markets even as farmgate prices in Uganda remained relatively stable, according to the latest daily market report released by the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries.
The report shows that robusta coffee futures on the Intercontinental Exchange in London closed lower on March 10, with the May 2026 contract settling at $3,692 per tonne, down $79 from the previous trading session. The July contract also declined to $3,596 per tonne, losing $72 on the day.
Analysts attributed the drop to a recovery in global coffee inventories. ICE robusta stocks recently fell to a 14-month low of about 4,012 lots, a development that has continued to influence market sentiment.
Arabica futures traded in New York also weakened. The May contract closed at 295.80 US cents per pound, losing 1.10 cents, while the July position settled at 290.10 cents per pound, down 0.80 cents.
Market analysts say the decline followed liquidation pressure in the market and improved weather conditions in Brazil’s coffee belt. According to Somar Meteorologia, parts of Minas Gerais, one of Brazil’s key arabica-growing regions, received 14.9 millimetres of rainfall, about 35 percent of the historical average.
Despite the easing international prices, Uganda’s indicative export prices for robusta coffee remained firm. Screen 18 robusta traded at about 183.80 US cents per pound, equivalent to roughly Shs14,867 per kilogramme, while Screen 15 averaged Shs14,463 per kilogramme and Screen 12 about Shs14,220.
Arabica grades from the Bugisu region continued to fetch higher prices. Bugisu AA was quoted at about 290.80 US cents per pound, translating to roughly Shs23,522 per kilogramme. Other arabica grades such as Bugisu A and Bugisu PB were priced around Shs23,441 per kilogramme.
Data from registered sales on March 10 shows Screen 15 robusta recorded the highest volumes, with 6,879 bags sold, followed by Screen 12 robusta with 4,874 bags.
At the farmgate level, robusta prices ranged between Shs12,000 and Shs12,500 per kilogramme for fully dried coffee (FAQ), while kiboko coffee traded between Shs6,000 and Shs6,500 per kilogramme.
Arabica parchment coffee was quoted between Shs14,500 and Shs15,500 per kilogramme, while clean drugar coffee ranged between Shs14,000 and Shs15,000.
Uganda is Africa’s largest coffee exporter, and the commodity remains the country’s leading foreign exchange earner. Market analysts say global price movements, weather conditions in major producing countries, and changes in coffee inventories continue to shape price trends in the sector.
