A Harvest Once Meant Losses: Uganda’s Pineapple Farmers Break into Global Markets

When pineapples ripened all at once in Luwero, it often brought anxiety instead of celebration.

For pineapple farmer Ms. Jane Nakandi, bumper harvests sometimes meant watching fruit spoil or selling at giveaway prices as farmers scrambled to find buyers.

“We needed a factory in our community because pineapples have a habit of ripening at the same time,” she says.

What once felt like a cycle of uncertainty is now beginning to shift. Today, Nakandi, who started with one acre in 2002 and now farms 15 acres, sees new possibilities through a growing export market connecting Ugandan farmers to consumers thousands of kilometers away in China.

In 2023, she joined the Katuumu Pineapple Growers Group, which brings together about 300 farmers. That same year, the group was selected to supply pineapples to Deshiburg Fruits International Ltd.

In a good season, she earns about UGX 3,000 (US$ 0.8) per pineapple and can generate between UGX 3–8 million (US$ 800 - 2,200) depending on harvest volumes and transport availability such as a large truck.

Through pineapple farming, she has educated her seven children, built a family home with her husband, and diversified into coffee, poultry, and piggery. Yet for years, market instability remained one of the biggest constraints for pineapple farmers in central Uganda.

That is now beginning to change.

From Local Farms to International Markets

On 14 May 2026, Uganda marked a historic milestone by flagging-off the inaugural export of 104 metric tonnes of processed pineapple from Deshiburg Fruits International Ltd to the People’s Republic of China.

The shipment, Uganda’s first commercial export of canned pineapple to the Chinese market-signals a deeper structural shift in agriculture: from exporting raw produce to competing in global markets through value addition.

For farmers like Nakandi, the impact goes beyond exports.

The factory purchases pineapples as early as six months after planting, unlike traditional market systems where farmers often waited much longer for returns (about eighteen months). This provides earlier income, more predictable demand, and stronger incentives to invest in production.

Why This Shift Matters

For decades, Uganda exported mainly raw agricultural commodities, leaving farmers exposed to price volatility, post-harvest losses, and low earnings.

Local agro-processing changes this equation. It creates jobs, reduces waste, increases export value, and connects farmers directly to global value chains.

This transition from raw exports to value-added products is central to Uganda’s agro-industrialisation agenda and long-term economic transformation strategy.

South-South Cooperation in Action

At the centre of this transformation is Deshiburg Fruits International, Uganda’s first dedicated canned pineapple processing factory. The company was jointly established by a Chinese cannery with 37 years of experience and WW Group, a major international food importer.

Located at the China-Uganda Agricultural Cooperation Industrial Park in Luwero District, the facility processes up to 500 tonnes of pineapples daily using the Smooth Cayenne variety, known for its natural sweetness and processed without artificial preservatives.

The initiative is widely recognized as a practical example of South-South and Triangular Cooperation delivering tangible development results.

At a time when global trade is increasingly shaped by protectionism and rising tariffs, Uganda’s partnership with China reflects a different model — one based on collaboration, investment, and technology transfer.

Today, more than 1,500 farmers across Luwero, Nakasongola, Nakaseke, and Kayunga districts in central Uganda are linked to the factory through an outgrower arrangement that strengthens rural incomes while reducing post-harvest losses.

Technology Transfer and Skills Development

Beyond exports, the initiative is accelerating technology transfer between Uganda and China.

Farmers and processors are gaining exposure to international standards in agro-processing, food safety, quality control, packaging, and export logistics -skills essential for competitiveness in modern agricultural markets.

This investment demonstrates how international partnerships can support industrial growth while ensuring inclusion of smallholder farmers, women, and youth in economic transformation.

A Story About People and Partnerships

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Uganda, Mr. Leonard Zulu, described the initiative as “a story of transformation, partnership, and above all, a story about people.”

“Behind these containers are thousands of Ugandan farmers and families whose livelihoods are beginning to change through access to reliable markets and value addition,” he said.

He emphasized that the initiative reflects how strategic partnerships contribute to poverty reduction, job creation, and stronger food systems.

“What leaves this facility today is not just processed pineapple. It is a clear signal that Uganda is ready to add value, ready to compete globally, and ready to take its place in modern agro-industrial markets.”

Expanding Opportunities for Farmers

Uganda’s Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Mr. Frank Tumwebaze, said the project demonstrates that markets already exist- but require intentional production.

“There is no more excuse for saying there is no market for pineapple,” he said. “Let us produce intentionally, fully aware of the demand ahead of us.”

He added: “I want to assure the world that our pineapples are the best.”

Advancing National and Regional Priorities

The initiative directly supports Uganda’s National Development Plan IV (NDP IV) and its agro-industrialisation agenda by promoting value addition, export competitiveness, job creation, and food systems resilience.

It also contributes to broader continental frameworks, including the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which prioritises inclusive growth and agricultural transformation.

Importantly, the model demonstrates how agro-industrialisation can extend opportunities to rural communities, particularly women and youth, ensuring that economic transformation is inclusive.

Looking Ahead

For Nakandi and hundreds of farmers in Luwero and the neighbouring districts, the containers leaving for China represent more than trade.

They represent stability.

They represent opportunity.

And they represent a future where Ugandan farmers are no longer confined to local markets, but are integrated into global value chains through investment, partnership, and innovation.