Uganda · Preparation

DRUGAR — Dried Ugandan Arabica

DRUGAR is one of two trade designations that come before any size grade on a Ugandan Arabica offer. This page covers what it actually is and how to buy it safely.

Species: Robusta · Arabica
Preparation: Natural (Robusta) · Washed Arabica (WUGAR)
Harvest: Robusta main crop November–February with a fly crop April–July; Elgon Arabica October–February

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Photo: Daniele Franchi

Quick answer

DRUGAR stands for Dried Ugandan Arabica: Arabica dried as whole cherry rather than washed, mainly from the Rwenzori, West Nile and Kigezi areas. Cup character is driven heavily by drying discipline, so lot separation and cup approval matter more here than for most naturals.

Contract on: region · grade · screen · process · crop · moisture · defect tolerance · cup approval.

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What the designation covers

DRUGAR is Ugandan Arabica processed by drying the whole cherry and hulling afterwards — the same process described on the natural coffee and dry processing pages. It is a processing designation, not a grade: parcels are further specified by screen and defect count.

The counterpart designation is WUGAR, washed Ugandan Arabica. Every Ugandan Arabica enquiry should state one or the other before discussing size.

Where it comes from

Rwenzori — western highlands along the Congo border, 1,400–2,000 m. Historically the core of DRUGAR production.
West Nile (Okoro) — north-west, around Zombo and Nebbi, 1,400–1,800 m. Picks earliest of the Ugandan Arabica areas.
Kigezi — south-west, bordering Rwanda, 1,500–2,200 m, with two picking windows.

West Nile picking from August makes DRUGAR available ahead of the washed Elgon crop, which is genuinely useful for bridging supply.

The cup — and the variance

Well-executed DRUGAR shows dried fig, spice and cocoa with a full body and low acidity. Poorly dried DRUGAR shows ferment, mustiness and phenolic notes, and the difference is not visible in the green.

Drying discipline is the whole variable

DRUGAR is produced across a wide range of infrastructure, from well-managed raised beds to ground drying. Because dry-processing faults leave little trace in the green bean, a defect count will not catch them. Cup a representative sample, in multiple cups, before contracting.

Specifying DRUGAR

Designation: DRUGAR, stated explicitly
Area: Rwenzori, West Nile or Kigezi
Screen: Commonly 15+, with a permitted percentage passing
Defects: Maximum full defects per 300 g
Moisture and water activity: Both — naturals often run higher aw at the same moisture
Drying: Raised beds; ask about layer depth and turning regime
Cup: Approved sample plus an explicit ferment/phenol tolerance clause
Packaging: Hermetic liner advisable

DRUGAR enquiries

Tell us the area and volume. We will send samples that represent the parcel, with the drying arrangement described where recorded.

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Last reviewed August 20262 min read

Growing regions

Uganda growing regions

Altitude and harvest timing are the two variables a sourcing decision turns on. Where two regions overlap they compete for the same milling and shipping slot; where they do not, a programme can be scheduled across them.

All Uganda coffee

Region · altitude

Bugisu (Mount Elgon)1,500–2,300 m
Kigezi1,500–2,200 m
Rwenzori1,400–2,000 m
West Nile (Okoro)1,400–1,800 m
Masaka & Greater Lake Victoria1,100–1,400 m

Harvest windows and altitude bands for each growing area, drawn from the same figures shown in the region panels. Windows are typical and move with rainfall — where two regions overlap they compete for the same milling and shipping slot, and where they do not, a programme can be scheduled across them.

Bugisu (Mount Elgon)
Altitude
1,500–2,300 m
Harvest
October–February
Processing
Fully washed · Natural (limited)
Species
Arabica
Uganda’s flagship Arabica area on the western slopes of Mount Elgon. Sold under the Bugisu designation and graded AA, A, B and PB.Explore Bugisu →
Rwenzori
Altitude
1,400–2,000 m
Harvest
August–November
Processing
Natural (DRUGAR) · Washed (growing)
Species
Arabica
Western highlands along the Congo border. Historically the core of DRUGAR production, with washing-station capacity expanding.
West Nile (Okoro)
Altitude
1,400–1,800 m
Harvest
August–November
Processing
Natural (DRUGAR) · Washed
Species
Arabica
North-western Arabica area around Zombo and Nebbi. Earliest Ugandan Arabica of the year, which makes it useful for bridging into the new crop.
Kigezi
Altitude
1,500–2,200 m
Harvest
May–August and October–January
Processing
Washed · Natural
Species
Arabica
South-western highlands bordering Rwanda. Two picking windows, high altitude and a growing number of small washing stations.
Masaka & Greater Lake Victoria
Altitude
1,100–1,400 m
Harvest
November–February with a fly crop April–July
Processing
Natural
Species
Robusta
Core Robusta belt on the lake’s north-western shore. Supplies most of the screen-graded Ugandan Robusta traded internationally.

Availability

Current DRUGAR — Dried Ugandan Arabica

Availability moves with the harvest, with milling and with prior commitments. Everything here is confirmed against the current crop on enquiry.

All current availability

Available

Uganda · Masaka & Greater Lake Victoria

Species: Robusta
Process: Natural
Grade: Screen 15
Screen: 15+
Crop: 2025/26
Quantity: Multi-container programme

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Available

Uganda · Masaka & Greater Lake Victoria

Species: Robusta
Process: Natural
Grade: Screen 18
Screen: 18+
Crop: 2025/26
Quantity: 3 × 20ft

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LimitedSpecialty

Uganda · Bugisu (Mount Elgon)

Species: Arabica
Process: Fully washed
Grade: Bugisu AA
Screen: 18+
Crop: 2025/26
Quantity: 1 × 20ft

Baked apple · Cane sugar · Cedar

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Upcoming crop

Uganda · West Nile (Okoro)

Species: Arabica
Process: Natural (DRUGAR)
Grade: DRUGAR screen 15+
Screen: 15+
Crop: 2025/26
Quantity: 1 × 20ft

Dried fig · Spice · Cocoa

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Quality

Quality evaluation

Every parcel runs the same sequence before it is offered and again before it is loaded. What is reported for a given lot depends on what the buyer specifies.

A cupping table in use: two hands breaking the crust with cupping spoons across coded sample bowls. — Samples are cupped against the approved reference before a shipment is released.Photo: René Porter

Coffee Quality Control

Crop

Uganda crop calendar

Flowering, harvest, processing, milling and the export window. Regional cycles differ, so this is not one universal season.

Full crop calendar

Robusta — central, south and Masaka (main crop)

Crop year commonly quoted October–September

Stage

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Flowering

Cherry development

Harvest

Processing & drying

Dry milling & grading

Main export window

The main Robusta crop supplies the bulk of Ugandan export volume.

Robusta — fly crop (western and lakeshore)

Crop year commonly quoted October–September

Stage

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Flowering

Cherry development

Harvest

Processing & drying

Dry milling & grading

Main export window

The second, smaller cycle keeps Ugandan Robusta available for most of the year.

Arabica — Mount Elgon (Bugisu)

Crop year commonly quoted October–September

Stage

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Flowering

Cherry development

Harvest

Processing & drying

Dry milling & grading

Main export window

Arabica — West Nile (Okoro) and Kigezi

Crop year commonly quoted October–September

Stage

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Flowering

Cherry development

Harvest

Processing & drying

Dry milling & grading

Main export window

West Nile picks earlier than Elgon, which is what makes DRUGAR available ahead of the washed Elgon crop.

Export

Packing and export

Ports of loading: Mombasa (Northern Corridor), Dar es Salaam (Central Corridor)
Bag standard: 60 kg jute; Robusta also moves in bulk-lined containers
Export window: Year-round, with the heaviest Robusta shipments December–April
Incoterms: FOB · CFR · CIF

Filled jute sacks stacked in courses, each hand-stitched closed along the mouth, the weave and the seam running the width of the frame. — Filled and hand-stitched export sacks, stacked in courses.Photo: ideadad

Compare

Against the other East African origins

Grade designations do not translate between origins, and harvest windows barely overlap. This is how the region compares at a glance.

All origins

East African origins compared
Origin	Species	Main preparation	Representative grades	Harvest	Ports
Tanzania	Arabica · Robusta	Fully washed · Natural	AA · A · AB · B	June–October in the south; July–December in the north	Dar es Salaam · Tanga
Kenya	Arabica	Fully washed with soak · Mbuni (natural)	E · AA · AB · PB	Main crop October–December; early (fly) crop May–July	Mombasa
Ethiopia	Arabica	Fully washed · Natural (sun-dried)	Grade 1 · Grade 2 · Grade 3 · Grade 4	October–January, varying by region and altitude	Djibouti (primary transit port)
Rwanda	Arabica	Fully washed · Natural (growing)	Grade 1 (fully washed) · Grade 2 · Screen 15+ · Screen 16+	March–July, with the peak in April and May	Mombasa (Northern Corridor) · Dar es Salaam (Central Corridor)
Burundi	Arabica	Fully washed with soak · Natural (limited)	Grade A · Grade B · Screen 15+ · Screen 16+	March–July	Dar es Salaam (Central Corridor) · Mombasa (Northern Corridor)

Harvest windows are typical for the origin as a whole and shift by region and with rainfall. Grade designations do not translate between origins — see the grade comparison.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

What does DRUGAR stand for?

Dried Ugandan Arabica — Arabica dried as whole cherry rather than washed. It is a processing designation, not a grade, and parcels are further specified by screen and defect count.

Where does DRUGAR come from?

Mainly the Rwenzori mountains in the west, West Nile (Okoro) in the north-west, and Kigezi in the south-west.

Why is DRUGAR variable?

Because it is produced across a wide range of drying infrastructure, and dry-processing faults are largely invisible in the green bean. Cup approval on a representative sample is the only reliable control.

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Tell us the Uganda coffee you need

Region, process, grade, screen, moisture, defect tolerance, crop year, packaging and destination. Send what you know and we will confirm what Uganda realistically supports for the current crop.

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