New Era begins: Uganda ships first US$8M powdered milk to Algeria

UGANDA – Uganda has officially launched its maiden export consignment of whole powdered milk to Algeria, recording a significant milestone in its dairy industry and regional trade ambitions in North Africa.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni presided over the flag-off ceremony at State House Entebbe, marking the culmination of extensive negotiations and trade agreements between the two nations. The inaugural shipment consists of 2,100 metric tons of high-quality powdered milk, valued at over US$ 8 million.

Three leading Ugandan dairy processors, Pearl Dairy Farms, Brookside Uganda, and Amos Dairies Uganda, secured the contract to supply milk to Algeria for the next three years.

The Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Hon. Frank Tumwebaze, congratulated the dairy sector for the milestone, expressing hope that increased exports will sustain the market for farmers.

“Algeria is a market we’ve been pursuing for some time. When the President visited that country in 2023, one of the bilateral negotiations and the MOU we signed was to allow our coffee and milk. I want to congratulate Brookside, as well as the dairy sector and its farmers, on the opening of this market,” he said.

According to Mr. Kennedy Gatheru, the Director of Finance at Brookside Africa Limited, the partnership will open up a large market that the whole country can benefit from. “It’s the beginning of many opportunities,” he said while expressing gratitude to President Museveni for his involvement in securing the Algerian market.

This development follows President Museveni’s visit to Algeria in March 2023, during which he engaged in discussions with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune regarding Algeria’s interest in importing dairy products from Uganda.

The agreement represents a breakthrough for Uganda’s dairy sector, which has been seeking new markets for its surplus milk production.

Speaking at the ceremony, President Museveni expressed his satisfaction with the progress made in securing the Algerian market.

“During my visit to Algeria in March 2023, I had good discussions with President Tebboune regarding Algeria’s interest in importing milk from Uganda. I am, therefore, happy to see off the first shipment of whole powdered milk,” he stated.

Algeria, traditionally reliant on European imports for its dairy needs, has now redirected part of its US$700 million annual milk import budget toward Uganda due to the country’s high-quality fresh milk.

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