Kampala — UGANDAN FLOWERS have made farther inroads into the European horticultural market.

Ugandan and Zimbabwean roses have even out-muscled Dutch varieties in the lucrative market that is the Netherlands. An international fair in Amsterdam earlier this month recognised our flowers as being unique on the European market.

What this means is that we are well placed to develop and dominate a niche. When business is of a cut-throat nature, produce or services that are different, if of high quality and well packaged, should give good returns.

Where everyone else has similar products to offer, something new and different would give the producer a comparative advantage over the rest. This could guarantee a market, and make it possible to name one's price.

About 5,000 tonnes, or $25m worth of horticulture is exported annually, which is good relative to where the industry has come from. But it is by no means the most that we can do. Only one farm exhibited in Amsterdam. That means many more producers need exposure. Marketing and packaging are still short, yet these are cardinal requirements in penetrating new markets.

Roses aside, Uganda has the potential to produce for other niche markets. Spices like cardomon grow well in Uganda; eco-tourism is still underdeveloped. A bark-cloth project in Rakai is in touch with the Gucci and Armani fashion houses. Our coffees, if locally roasted and blended, can be packaged and sold as special blends.

Our economic future will depend a lot on whether we can identify and exploit areas where we have a comparative advantage. Horticulture is only but a small beginning.