Dorothy Nakaweesi
26 August 2008
The local honey market is proving to be more attractive to farmers and dealers compared to the foreign market to which Uganda has an equally huge potential.
Despite receiving an accreditation three years ago to export to the European Union, Uganda has never flagged off a single consignment of honey because of its own high demand and better price.
"Surprisingly, people on the local market are making more money compared to what international buyers are offering," said Mr Jackson Jurua, the chairman of the Uganda National Apiculture Development Organisation (Tunado), an umbrella body of dealers in the honey business.
A kilogramme of honey costs Shs6,000 (about $3.7) compared to the $1.20 on the international market. Mr Jurua was speaking at a meeting on the forth-coming "Api Trade Africa Expo 2008" at the Uganda Export Promotion Board (UEPB) offices. Local demand for table honey is so overwhelming that the country has to import 24 per cent of honey in the country to fill the shortfall.
Currently Uganda produces 3,000 tonnes although it has a capacity for more than 200,000 tonnes. Uganda has four honey-processing plants: Arua which has the capacity of 600 tonnes, Nalukolongo in Kampala District with a capacity of 1,000 tonnes, Reco Industries in Kasese District, a plant with a capacity of 50 tonnes, and another in Bweyogere with a capacity of 104 tonnes.
Ironically, Uganda has renewed accreditation to export to the EU but is still unlikely to export any consignment. In 2005, Uganda was given an opportunity to start exporting 200 tonnes annually but has since failed to meet the quota. Mr Jurua said for Uganda to take advantage of the EU market there is need to organise the farming process into cooperatives to guarantee huge volumes of production.
"This doesn't mean that the export potential is not there but this should be enhanced through organising farmers into cooperatives. Then the honey would collect at a central point where the processor can pick it," he said, adding that honey farming also needs to be organised into a process with structures to support farmers and help those who want to export to the EU and elsewhere.
"We are still allowed to export but this is subject to as long as we submit our rescue monitoring plan. We have to send samples annually for testing to see whether they still conform to the standards," Mr Jurua said.
To meet Uganda's local and export demands, the Uganda National Apiculture Development Organisation's strategic plan is to organise farmers into groups to bulk the honey and set targets for production and if this is achieved then the country will be in position to both export and satisfy the local demand.
One challenge though, is that the honey industry still lacks a national policy, making it difficult to determine how to administer and develop the industry. The current number of farmers is not yet known. Mr Bosco Okello, the secretary of the "Api Trade Africa" however said what the country needs is to improve its production and find market for its products and not a policy per se. He said the forthcoming expo scheduled for October 22 to 25 will offer market opportunities for stakeholders.
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