UGANDA – The Ugandan government has voiced discontent over Kenya’s continued blockade of Ugandan dairy products despite both countries being members of the East African Community (EAC).
State Minister for Agriculture Bright Rwamirama criticized Kenya’s trade practices, describing the situation as absurd and contrary to the spirit of regional integration.
Speaking to Nile Post, Rwamirama highlighted that Kenya’s ongoing restrictions aim to protect its domestic dairy industry, which he deemed less competitive than Uganda’s.
Rwamirama lamented the adverse impact on Uganda’s dairy processors and farmers.
Sydney Mark Wamala, Quality Assurance Manager at Lakeside Dairies, confirmed these challenges, noting that the lack of export permits has disrupted operations.
“As Lakeside Dairies, we depend on exports, particularly UHT milk, with Kenya being our largest market. When export permits are withheld, it directly affects not only us but also the farmers who supply milk for processing,” Wamala reported.
He explained that unprocessed milk results in significant losses for rural farmers, exacerbating the crisis.
According to Rwamirama, Uganda currently operates 168 small, medium, and large dairy processing plants that handle approximately four million liters of milk daily.
However, domestic milk consumption per capita stands at 61 liters, far below the World Health Organization’s recommended 200 liters.
This disparity necessitates value addition and export to sustain the industry.
Kenya, as one of Uganda’s primary markets, has erected barriers that hinder this trade, frustrating efforts to integrate and benefit from the EAC common market.
Rwamirama attributed Kenya’s protectionist stance to Uganda’s competitive advantage, citing abundant pasture and lower production costs.
Despite numerous discussions and trade agreements facilitated by the EAC Secretariat, Kenya remains reluctant to fulfill its obligations.
“We made significant progress through mediation and even signed agreements, with the president himself intervening, but Kenya has yet to honor the terms,” he stated.
To counteract Kenya’s actions, Uganda is exploring alternative export markets. Rwamirama revealed that efforts are underway to penetrate West Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and other regions under the COMESA framework.
“We are actively pursuing global and sustainable markets in the Middle East, West Africa, and Congo, which recently joined the community,” he noted, emphasizing Uganda’s resilience in overcoming these trade barriers.
The minister concluded by reaffirming Uganda’s commitment to diversifying its dairy export destinations, ensuring that farmers and processors are not left at the mercy of Kenya’s restrictive policies.
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