“The samples were shipped to Turkey and approved, meaning that we are now ready for business,” UCA leadership noted during the meeting. “This is a strong signal that Ugandan cooperatives can competitively participate in the global coffee trade if we coord

UCA Strengthens Market Linkages for Coffee Cooperatives as Turkish Buyer Approves Ugandan Samples

The Uganda Cooperative Alliance (UCA) has intensified efforts to connect coffee cooperatives to international markets following the successful approval of Ugandan coffee samples by ADL Global Group, a Turkish agency that connects buyers to sellers of Coffee. The development marks a major milestone in expanding export opportunities for cooperatives across Uganda’s coffee value chain.

During a high-level follow-up Business-to-Business (B2B) meeting held at the UCA Conference Room on 15 May 2026, representatives from more than 10 coffee cooperatives met with officials from ADL Global Group and government representatives to discuss the next steps toward formal export arrangements. The meeting followed an earlier engagement where cooperatives were introduced to the Turkish market opportunity and asked to submit coffee samples for testing in Turkey.

The participating cooperatives included Banyankole Kweterana Cooperative Union, Bushika ACE, Malongo ACE, Ankole Coffee Cooperative, Kibinge Coffee Cooperative, Kigezi Coffee Growers Union, Buuka Women Multipurpose Cooperative Society and several others from different coffee-growing regions of the country.

Welcoming members to the meeting, UCA officials applauded the cooperatives for successfully meeting the quality requirements of the Turkish market.

“The samples were shipped to Turkey and approved, meaning that we are now ready for business,” UCA leadership noted during the meeting. “This is a strong signal that Ugandan cooperatives can competitively participate in the global coffee trade if we coordinate well on quality, quantity and consistency.”

According to ADL Global Group representative Haki, Turkey’s growing coffee consumption presents a significant opportunity for Ugandan exporters, particularly for Robusta coffee grades 15 and 18, which are increasingly preferred by processors in the region. He explained that while Turkey has traditionally been a tea-drinking nation, demand for coffee is rapidly rising among younger consumers.

ADL indicated plans to initially import three containers of coffee monthly, with the possibility of scaling up to five containers once systems for quality assurance and supply consistency are established. The company also highlighted opportunities for re-exporting Ugandan coffee to neighboring markets including Iraq and Ukraine.

Representing the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Assistant Commissioner Waiswa Mpakibi Robert commended the cooperatives for achieving acceptable sample quality while emphasizing the need to maintain international standards.

“We need to maintain the quality and quantity as we move into business,” he said. “As the Ministry responsible for promoting domestic and international trade, we are committed to ensuring that this engagement succeeds.”

Discussions during the meeting focused on moisture content requirements, pricing, certification standards, logistics, export terms and payment arrangements. Haki stressed the importance of maintaining coffee moisture at 11 percent to meet Turkish customs requirements, noting that moisture levels often rise during shipment.

Cooperatives also raised concerns regarding fair pricing for farmers, maintaining consistent supply volumes, and managing certified versus conventional coffee exports. In response, ADL assured members of flexible engagement arrangements and advance payment mechanisms once agreements are signed.

Importantly, Haki clarified that cooperatives would export directly to Turkish coffee companies, with ADL and UCA serving as facilitators rather than intermediaries.

“The cooperatives will be the direct exporters to Turkey,” Haki explained. “ADL is facilitating the partnership together with UCA to ensure a sustainable and transparent business relationship.”

As part of the agreed way forward, Haki is expected to begin visits to individual cooperatives to assess production capacity, quality management systems and export readiness ahead of final agreements. Banyankole Kweterana Cooperative Union will host the first visit next week, followed by engagements with other cooperatives including Ankole Coffee Cooperative, Malongo ACE and Bushika ACE.

The engagement reflects UCA’s broader commitment to strengthening cooperative enterprises by connecting them to reliable export markets, improving value addition and positioning Ugandan farmers to benefit more competitively from international trade opportunities.

In his closing remarks, Hon. Frederick Gume Ngobi, the State Minister for Cooperatives at MTIC, commended UCA, the cooperatives and ADL Global Group for the successful partnership and progress made towards securing direct international market opportunities for Ugandan coffee cooperatives.

The Minister noted that as the country prepares for a new cabinet, he was in the process of handing over office and was pleased that he would leave office with visible accountability and achievements demonstrated through initiatives such as this partnership. He revealed that he personally played a role in identifying and connecting the Turkish firm to UCA as part of efforts to expand market opportunities for cooperatives.

He expressed satisfaction that the partnership would significantly reduce the role of exploitative middlemen in the coffee trade because cooperatives would now engage directly with buyers through ADL Global Group. He noted that middlemen had for years exploited farmers and cooperatives, reducing their earnings despite the high quality of Ugandan coffee.

The Minister further observed that Uganda’s coffee continues to receive international recognition as one of the best coffees in Africa, noting that the interest shown by the Turkish market was further proof of the country’s strong reputation in coffee production. He emphasized that the proposed export volumes of five containers per month were still small compared to the production capacity of some Ugandan cooperatives, urging members to work together and support one another in mobilizing larger quantities for export.

He welcomed the decision by ADL Global Group to conduct individual visits to the cooperatives, saying that the engagements would strengthen relationships, build trust and help harmonize operational expectations between the buyers and the cooperatives.