Martin Ssebuyira
23 June 2008
Kampala — Honey packers in Uganda have urged government to formulate policies to regulate honey trade that is gaining momentum in Uganda's economy.
The project Officer Strengthening Trade in Honey and Other Bee products, Mr Phillip Muwanika, said the trade won't develop without minimum packaging standards. "People pack poor honey products with duplicated names that cannot be exported," Mr Muwanika said.
He said they need proper guidelines that can be followed by all honey producers and packers to boost trade. Mr Muwanika said local market for table honey is significant and demand in urban areas still outstrips supply. He said there is need to link the packers and producers to satisfy the market.
"Inefficiencies in the supply chain and low capacity of producers to negotiate markets limit the farmers from earning enough money," he added.
The Uganda National Apiculture Development Organisation, Mr Robert Ndyabarema, said the organisation embarking on capacity building to increase the volume of honey flowing from poor beekeeping communities to markets. He said the organisation is encouraging development of mutually beneficial trading relationships between producers and buyers.
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