Browse Data and Analysis

Uganda presents potential for U.S. agricultural exporters, driven by steady economic growth, urbanization, and shifting consumer preferences toward high-quality, convenient, and safe food products.

Uzbekistan is one of Central Asia’s fastest-growing consumer markets, powered by strong GDP growth (6.5 percent in 2024; 5.9 percent forecast in 2025) and a population rising by 1 million annually. Urbanization, a young middle class, and shifting consumer habits are driving rapid demand for modern retail, packaged foods, and convenience formats.

FAS/Nairobi forecasts Uganda’s coffee production for the marketing year (MY) 2025/26 to increase by 2.61 percent, reaching 6.88 million 60-kilogram bags (green bean equivalent).

Uzbekistan’s cotton sector is at a crossroads. While opportunities for high-value-added products like textiles and ready-to-wear apparel are expanding, the industry faces financial constraints, shrinking farmland, and water shortages.

Difficult growing conditions and a contracting domestic industry continue to pressure Greek cotton farmers and further its reliance on government subsidies for survival. Greece’s MY 2025/26 cotton production is forecast at 1.02 million bales, down 5.5 percent from the previous season due to lower planting.

Uzbekistan plans to increase its textile exports from $3 billion to $7 billion by 2028, which depends on a stable supply of raw cotton. However, this goal faces challenges as cotton production is under pressure due to various factors.

Central Asia is a diverse, important corner of the world and a growing market for U.S. goods. Agricultural imports from the world for Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Uzbekistan totaled $11.6 billion in 2023 and have nearly doubled over the last three years, with the United States as the 11th largest trade partner at $196 million.

FAS/Nairobi forecasts Uganda’s coffee production in the Marketing Year (MY) 2024/25 to reach 6.9 million bags (60 kg), an increase of 40,000 bags from the previous year, due to adoption of good agricultural practices, targeted interventions to combat pest and disease outbreaks, and maturation of new high-yielding seedlings planted in recent years.

The global cotton industry is still readjusting to lower post-pandemic demand, and Uzbekistan wasn’t spared the effects of the market overhang. Uzbekistan's strong vertical integration and government support for the industry have helped drive both its resiliency and recovery.

Greece’s MY 2023/24 cotton production is estimated at 970,000 bales, down 33 percent from the previous season due to significant rainstorms which caused widespread flooding in Central Greece in early September 2023.

Uzbekistan’s cotton production in marketing year (MY) 2023/24 is estimated at 621,000 metric tons (MT) (2.85 million bales). Cotton consumption in MY 2023/24 is forecast lower year-to-year at 599,000 MT (2.75 million bales) due to lower demand from importer countries like Turkiye and Russia for cotton yarn and fabric.

FAS/Nairobi forecasts Uganda’s marketing year (MY) 2023/24 coffee production will increase 4 percent to 6.85 million 60 kilogram bags due to good rainfall and the maturation of new high-yielding Robusta seedlings planted in 2019.