The Minister of State for Agriculture in Uganda has announced that the country has secured trade opportunities and is actively working to expand its presence in West Africa’s dairy product market.
Minister Bright Rwamirama emphasized that engaging in broader market trade will facilitate the acquisition of processing equipment and utilities, thereby enhancing value addition in the dairy industry.
He stated, ‘We have successfully accessed markets in West Africa and North Africa, and our search for growth opportunities in this sector continues.’
These comments were made during the 16th African Dairy Conference and Exhibition, which commenced in Kampala on Tuesday. The conference aims to showcase investment prospects in the African dairy sector and encourage domestic milk consumption.
Uganda’s latest market entry will be Algeria, starting next month, as announced by the Dairy Development Authority (DDA). In March of this year, Uganda and Algeria signed an agreement to export milk products valued at up to USD 500 million to North Africa.
Over the past five years (2018-2022), dairy production in Uganda has surged from 2.51 billion liters to the current 3.4 billion liters.
Frank Tumwebaze, the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry, emphasized the importance of fair regulations for dairy farmers to promote trade in Uganda. He advocated for active farmer involvement in policymaking.
Peter Ngaruiya, the Executive Director of the Eastern and Southern African Dairy Association (ESADA), acknowledged that while intraregional trade remains a challenge, the association has made significant strides in improving the quality of dairy products in the region.
