Uganda’s agriculture sector has received a massive boost with the export of 50 tonnes of powdered milk to Coca-Cola beverages in Zambia. Of recent, government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries (MAAIF), has been advocating for the transformation of the agriculture from subsistence to a commercial sector through opening new markets for Ugandan products.
However, the message has always been met with skepticism mostly due to constant threats to ban some Ugandan agricultural products. Last year, the European Union threatened to ban Ugandan horticultural products over severe chemical contamination. Matters were not helped when Kenya imposed a temporary ban on Ugandan maize because due to aflatoxins.
In fact, since 2019, Kenya has refused entry of milk from Uganda and this ‘dairy war’ remains unresolved. On this background, therefore, the milk consignment of 50 tonnes is a reassurance to the foreign markets that Ugandan products meet international standards.
In fact, the landmark deal will go a long way in motivating other Ugandan farmers to position their products for export. Tumwebaze greatly emphasized this notion during the tour around the Pearl Dairies facility. He praised the company for making a solid contribution to the development of the dairy value chain.
“The reason why very many commodities are collapsing is because they are not built on the value chain approach. The value chain helps the farmer to be sensitive of what the market requires and at MAAIF, this is how we define our work,” said the minister.
Tumwebaze added that those who cannot take Ugandan milk because of quality issues is either talking out of ignorance or is just malicious. He also congratulated Pearl Diary Company for investing in a state-of-the art processing plant which has a capacity to process about 800,000 litres of milk daily thus enabling very many farmers have market for their milk.
During the event, Seth Devendra, the Pearl Dairy managing director, thanked government for always facilitating the company to export the consignment. He also thanked Coca-Cola for being a good partner in their development.
Meanwhile, Maj Gen David Kasura, the Agriculture ministry permanent secretary, emphasized that the ministry is now prioritizing support to farmers to produce quality products that are marketable.
“The issue of agriculture is an issue of production and productivity, an issue of post-harvest handling, an issue of marketing, an issue of agro-industrialization and an issue of marketing; all of them are linked because without a market, people are producing for nothing,” he said.
Maj Kasura also said the export will open the eyes of doubters to trust local products in a bid to promote government’s drive of Buy Uganda Build Uganda. Meanwhile, Dr Michael Kansiime, the Dairy Development Authority executive director noted that dairy exports have jumped 63 per cent in the last three years.
“Uganda’s revenue from export of dairy products has risen from $131.5m (Shs 480bn) in 2018 to $205m (750bn) in 2020,” he noted.
“The sector is one of the leading agricultural commodity export income earner second to coffee and slowly edging its way to be the leading agricultural export earner in the country,” he noted.