Uganda Coffee Federation

The Uganda Coffee Federation (UCF) is registered as a non-profit company, limited by guarantee. Its membership include coffee exporters, coffee processors, farmers, companies that supply equipment and supplies to coffee exporters and processors, clearing and forwarding companies, insurance companies, banks and international coffee trading houses in Europe

Omukwano, “friendship” in Luganda, is the name given to the partnership between Caffè River (EU) and NUCAFE (Uganda) and, at the same time, of the coffee produced under such an agreement.

Omukwano represents the effort of people in different countries to overcome the hurdles that create a heavy burden to the weaker link of the chain, the farmers, and at the same time to produce a much better quality of coffee.

One of the main objectives of NOGAMU is to promote local and export marketing of organic products from Uganda . To achieve this objective, a number of services have been developed.

Market linkages

At the local level, NOGAMU mobilizes small holder farmers into groups, focuses them towards particular enterprises and equips them with the necessary skills and knowledge to allow sufficient production for marketing. NOGAMU then identifies suitable markets for these groups in form of local organic outlets, supermarkets, local exporters, schools, other traders and markets, and links them to these markets.

Exclusive local organic outlets continue to be established in partnership with member organizations to serve as marketing points for small holder farmers’ groups in the respective localities but also bring organic products closer to consumers.  Shop Organic Ltd is  located at Kabalagala  and in Jinja now being supplied by over 60 farmers groups countrywide, with a range of fresh and processed organic products.

At the International level, NOGAMU assists local organic exporters to be linked to importers of organic products from various international markets. This is done through profiling the export companies and identifying appropriate import companies to which the former could be linked. NOGAMU normally initiates and monitors this linkage until the first order has been placed by providing appropriate information and support to both the export and importing companies.

Market information services

NOGAMU has established an Organic Trade Point (OTP) to serve as a one stop centre for organic market information and related enquiries to local farmers and exporters as well as importers looking for organic products from Uganda . The OTP is equipped with modern communication facilities including 24 hour fast internet connection and has links to major international market information portals. The OTP has developed market profiles regarding specific export destinations for use by existing and potential exporters. It also runs a data base which serves as a focal point for market linkages, captures information on organic export companies, volumes and supply capacity, seasonality of products and information on packaging. Member companies and producer organizations can access the internet at the OTP for market related information at a subsidized fee and the general public can also access the same services at an additional but affordable fee. For more information on the OTP services, contact the OTP officer at organictradepoint@nogamu.org.ug

Organic market promotion

NOGAMU undertakes the promotion of Uganda ‘s organic products at the local, regional and international markets. At the International level, NOGAMU assists and works with the organic export companies and arranges the promotion of their products to international buyers. This is done mainly through arranging participation in international trade fairs such as Biofach in Germany , the All Things Organic show in USA and the Middle East Natural and Organic products Expo.

NOGAMU also collaborates with the Uganda Export Promotion Board (UEPB) and Uganda ‘s Foreign Mission in promoting Uganda ‘s Organic products to international buyers. In the recent past NOGAMU has collaborated with the International Trade Centre (ITC) to bring international buyers to Uganda on a tour aimed at bringing more visibility of Uganda ‘s organic companies and products. NOGAMU also continues to collaborate with the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI) and other International Agencies in promoting Uganda ‘s organic products.

At the local and regional level, NOGAMU organizes participation in trade fairs and other events where information and products from member companies and producer associations are show cased. In all promotional events, NOGAMU assists in the mobilization, preparation of relevant products and information and also offers technical and organization back stopping to participating companies and producer groups.

Our company, AMFRI FARMS LTD also known as AFRICAN ORGANIC, located in Kampala, Uganda is the largest exporter of organic fruits and vegetables and these include:

Fresh Fruits

Pineapples, Apple bananas, Passion fruits, Papaya, Mangoes, Avocadoes, Ginger, Jack fruit and Pulp

Dried Fruits

Pineapples, Apple bananas, Jack fruit, Mangoes, Papaya, Cured Vanilla

Our company started trading in 1998 under the name of ME Enterprise Ltd and in early 2002 changed to BioUganda. We began exporting ethnic products such as matooke, sugarcane, doohi, chilli, hot pepper and a number of Asian vegetables to the European market. We then realised the high demand for quality organic products from the naturally fertile soils of Africa.

Uganda’s unique climate
Uganda has a wide range of conditions from flat dry plains to lush hill sides suitable for tropical organic fruits and vegetables. Uganda is famous for the natural fertility of its soils. Since these have not been degraded by intensive farming and fertiliser use, yields are high with excellent quality.

Organic fresh and dried produce
The pick of the crop is chosen from the best of our organic growers,graded and packed at the peak of freshness to reach our customers in perfect condition. New products are under development, using indoor indirect solar drying technology: dried Pineapple, dried Apple, dried Bananas, dried Papaya, dried Mango, dried Ginger.

BIOFRESH Ltd. is an exporter of fresh, organic produce of premium quality. Our fruit and vegetables are grown by small scale farmers in Uganda. What sets Biofresh apart from its competitors is its commitment to fair trade, quality and customer service. We want to improve the livelihood of the farmers while giving our customers excellence and personal service.

Biofresh has an experienced dedicated team that has committed itself to Fair trade to our farmers, Quality and Customer Service to our customers. It is from this dedicated team that we can confidently improve the livelihood of our farmers and offer excellency and personal service to our customers.

Its a company that exports:

• Papaya
• Pineapple
• Avocado
• Banana

Olam began operations in Uganda in 1997 and has since diversified its business scope into a portfolio of six core products including cotton, cocoa, sugar, palm oil, sesame and coffee. With our head office in the capital, Kampala, and regional presences in Hoima, Kibuuku, Bundibugyo, Lira, Arua, Kitgum, Pakwach and Mayuge, we now employ 70 permanent staff and over 400 seasonal employees across our operations.

Our business spans all parts of the agri-commodity value chain from origination and processing, to logistics, marketing and distribution. For coffee, cocoa and sesame, we maintain several processing lines in Kampala, supported by a well-equipped laboratory that helps us maintain excellent product standards. Our cotton is ginned using rollers, a process that albeit slow, helps maintain excellent fibre properties, spinning medium-to-fine counts using 28-30 mm.

Our products are delivered across the world. Our coffee is marketed mainly to the European Union and North Sudan, our cocoa beans are sought mostly by the USA and the Far East, our sesame is exported mainly to China and Japan, while our cotton is mostly sold in South East Asia. We also maintain an imports business that offers sugar and palm oil to East African origins like Burundi, Republic of Congo and Sudan.

We recently moved our head office premises and expanded our ware housing at Kampala Industrial and Business Park, Namanve. We are currently, constructing and will install a new processing plant that will increase our processing and production capacity of coffee, cocoa and sesame.

Our organization has been training farmers in organic production of fruits and other crops. Now these farmers are able to sell their fruits as organic produce and they can make decisions about the prices and who to buy their produce. Each of such farmers sees life differently compared to the earlier times. The homesteads are food secure because they do not sell food for cash needs.