The Cocoa Exporters Association of Uganda (CEAU) met with the Ministry of Trade to discuss cocoa challenges, opportunities and the drive for value addition under the theme “Enhancing Uganda’s Cocoa Export Competitiveness.”

The Association presented the history of cocoa and the causes of the sudden surge in cocoa prices since 2024, relating to poor West African harvests, diseases, ageing trees and climate volatility. These factors have positioned cocoa among Uganda’s top five national export cash crops, with rising volumes and surging earnings.

Amid this encouraging trend, the sector still faces challenges, including low productivity, inconsistent quality, poor infrastructure and logistics, high deforestation rates, weak organisation and financial support, low value addition, high compliance and traceability costs, market volatility, climate change, pests and diseases.

The Association called for an integrated competitiveness strategy that scales down responsibilities to all cocoa players, from farmers to government.