Uganda Mt Elgon AA Washed 2024

Coffee from Mt Elgon, Uganda

Coffee farms dot the slopes of Mount Elgon, East Africa’s oldest volcano. The steep terrain makes transporting coffee difficult. Thus, it’s not unusual for coffee farmers to employ donkeys to carry coffee cherries from their farms to be milled.

Washed Process Coffee in Uganda

Coffee farmers harvest fresh cherries throughout the day and deliver them to the washing stations in the evening. Once the cherries are sorted, they are pulped and fermented for 12 hours. After the beans are washed to remove any leftover mucilage, they are partially dried in greenhouses at the washing station, then later brought down to the dry mill for further mechanical drying.

Several years ago, Uganda coffee was mainly limited to drugars (Dried Uganda Arabica) grade beans that were inconsistent and often of poor quality. As a result, farmers struggled to earn a living from their crops. Now, new receiving stations and mills are coming online and Uganda is experiencing a coffee renaissance. The new infrastructure is enabling ripe red coffee cherries to be delivered and processed using state-of-the-art equipment. The quality of Uganda coffee is increasing and the price that farmers get for their crops is going up, as well.

Washed processing has become widely popular. The cup profile of washed coffees tends to reflect the terroir of the coffee. The processing method allows the growing conditions, the region and the true character of the coffee to shine through.

Uganda Green Coffee

While Ethiopia is Africa's top coffee producer, Uganda stands as the continent's leading exporter of this valuable commodity. Despite this, Uganda has yet to reach its full potential. Advances in farming and processing are helping the region overcome historical socio-economic challenges. Upgrades in quality and new washing stations are significantly improving the lives of smallholder farmers. Learn more in our Uganda Coffee Origin Report.