Uganda has become Africa's top coffee exporter, overtaking Ethiopia with a record-breaking 47,000 tonnes shipped in May, that raked in about 243 million U.S. dollars.
The East African country exported nearly 800,000 bags in May, up from 550,000 bags in the same time last year, representing a 43 percent year-on-year increase.
The Ugandan agriculture ministry says improved quality standards and strong government support helped the country become the continent's leading exporter.
"We have a good budget supporting the National Coffee Research Institute for this time, and so we should be having very good planting material that is disease resistant. So you'll have something like they call it CWD (coffee with disease resistant) and they have developed about 10 varieties, they call them KR or Kituza Robusta, KR from 1-10, so these are really nice," said Robert Byaruhanga, a coffee exporter.
Uganda has an ambitious coffee sector roadmap, targeting production of around 20 million bags annually by 2030. Trade experts say tough quality controls are needed to achieve this.
"The issues of aggregation, so many farmers all over the whole place, was the aggregation process to make sure those things come through. We need to work on standards, you're not going to sell out when your standards are poor, that's extremely, extremely important. Then we also need to help the many SMEs which are about 80 or 90 percent of production in Uganda and trade to make sure that they comply with those international standards," said Isaac Shinyekwa, head of trade and regional integration, Economic Policy Research Center, a policy think tank in Uganda.
Uganda is expected to export 7 million bags of coffee this year, up from 5 million last year. Meanwhile, Ethiopia's export forecast for this year stands at around 4 million bags, still a significant shortfall compared to Uganda.
But to maintain this milestone, Uganda will need to work hard to have its coffee bags rolling to the European market. Europe remains Uganda's biggest market globally, accounting for 67 percent of the country's exports.
Uganda overtakes Ethiopia to be Africa's top coffee exporter
The Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is emerging as a key engine for China's fast-growing low-altitude economy by leveraging its dense industrial networks, efficient logistics systems, and rapid innovation capacity.
From logistics and manufacturing to urban services, the region is building an integrated industrial chain that allows low-altitude industries to scale up at unprecedented speed, thus turning drone-based applications from isolated trials into large-scale, commercial operations.
China's 15th Five-Year Plan, covering 2026 to 2030, calls for the cultivation of new pillar industries and the accelerated development of strategic emerging industrial clusters, including the low-altitude economy.
At a drone operations center in Bao'an District, Shenzhen City in south China's Guangdong Province, a dozen logistics drones take off and land within minutes. Urgently needed production parts, documents, and small parcels are dispatched from here to cities in the province including Dongguan, Zhongshan, and Zhuhai.
Behind these high-flying aircraft lies what observers describe as an "invisible industrial chain", built on speed and efficiency.
"Look at this aircraft. About 90 percent of its components come from nearby areas. Relying on Shenzhen's strong logistics capabilities and its complete supply chain, these parts can be delivered to our factory within half an hour for assembly, processing, and production," said Li Kunhuang, person-in-charge of Shenzhen GODO Innovation Technology Co., Ltd.
Once a new product is unveiled, testing and calibration begin immediately at the drone testing field. As soon as the process is completed, the new models can be put into real-world operation, realizing almost “zero delay” from research and development to application.
Supported by a robust industrial chain, low-altitude routes in Shenzhen are effectively connecting the urban landscape. From its Bao'an District to Songshan Lake in Dongguan City, production components can be delivered within one hour. Supplies are transported between Zhuhai City's Xiangzhou Port to Dong'ao Island in just 25 minutes. And light industrial goods can travel round-trip within a single day between Guzhen Town in Zhongshan City and Xinhui District in Jiangmen City.
More low-altitude application scenarios are expected to be implemented in the near future.
In Qianhai District, Shenzhen is accelerating the construction of a pilot demonstration zone of low-altitude integrated three-dimensional transportation hub.
"We have built the country's first low-altitude integrated three-dimensional transportation hub, and are gradually developing a pilot flight zone that integrates multiple scenarios such as inspection, logistics, and cultural tourism. This will provide technical support for the next step of commercializing cross-border logistics and emergency rescue services across the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area," said Wu Xuemin, head of the Shenzhen Qianhai Low-Altitude Integrated Three-Dimensional Transportation Hub Pilot Demonstration Zone.
Integrated supply chains propel Greater Bay Area's low-altitude economy growth
