Agricultural produce from Kenya may be banned in Uganda

Uganda is in the process of identifying agricultural produce from Kenya on which to impose a ban.

On Tuesday, December 14 the Ugandan Minister for East African Affairs, Rebecca Kadaga told journalists that the Ministry of Agriculture it is merely reciprocating Nairobi's continued ban on Kampala's produce especially poultry.

“We have been too patient. In the past, we have not reciprocated, but now we are going to. This has gone on for too long and within a short time they too will understand what we are going through,” said Kadaga.

As poultry consumption increases, so does the competition between countries, which has become the case between Kenya and Uganda, who are important trading partners.

The statement by Kadaga follows Kenya's recent trade mission postponement to Uganda to resolve the sugar and milk import standoff.

Kenya is Uganda’s biggest trade partner. Kenyan exports to Uganda in 2020 amounted to Sh75 billion while Uganda's exports to Kenya stood at Sh52 billion during the same period.

The visit was to verify claims that sugar and milk imported from the landlocked neighbour originates from third-party countries -- a claim Kampala denies.

The trade standoff comes at a time when Uganda has been allowed to access the Zambian market, giving them an alternative for their commodity.

The Pearl Dairies, makers of Lato milk, secured annual supplies of milk to Zambia after the company suffered major losses when Kenya stopped exports of its products in 2019.

The firm is the largest processor of milk in Uganda with a daily capacity of 800,000 litres. Its brand was popular in Kenya and retailed at a lower cost when compared with the local ones.

Zambia blocked Kenyan milk from accessing its market 13 years ago over standard issues and Nairobi through its High Commission office in Lusaka has over the years been frantically fighting to access that market in vain.