LUGOGO – Uganda Manufacturers have asked the government through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries (MAAIF) to double its efforts in promoting commercial Agriculture which is among the major sources of raw materials for most industries in the country.
At the official launch of the Agricultural pavilion, at Uganda Manufacturer’s Association (UMA) 30th trade fair in Lugogo on Monday, Ezra Muhumuza the Executive Director of UMA, noted that there is a need for Ugandans to utilize their conducive environment and produce plenty of raw materials required by the manufacturing sector.
“Uganda is one of the few countries that cannot be compared to any other African country regarding agricultural output. Uganda is among the four African countries in Africa with two seasons in a year and therefore, its incumbent for us to use that comparative advantage to position Uganda as an industrial hub of the continent.” Remarked Muhumuza
He also asked the Ministry of Agriculture to regulate farmers to ensure that they produce quality raw materials in large quantities to increase the production capacity of most industries.
“According to our aspiration, in the next 30 years, we (Uganda) should be in a position to produce enough commodities for the whole of Africa. We should be a source …if we leverage our agro products, no one can beat us in alcohol production because we have matooke, sorghum, maize, cassava and as you all know, no agricultural input can beat alcohol from those crops.”
Muhumuza further added that, is high time for the Ministry of Agriculture to strengthen its working relationship with manufacturers to find means of improving upon the quantity and quality of raw materials produced by various stakeholders.
Grace Kazigati an Agribusiness officer at NAADS who represented Hon. Frank Tumwebaze, the Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries assured the Manufacturers that the government is committed to addressing all their issues to ensure that they get quality raw materials for their industries.
“Farmers have been suffering with their produce as a result of lack of ready market. Many farmers who are beneficiaries of the PDM program have been producing agricultural outputs and we have been asking ourselves who is going to take them. So you’re coming in as Manufacturers when you have all it takes to take their produce is a very huge support and I promise, very soon the minister will organize a meeting where we shall discuss how it should be done.” Kazigati stated
She also assured Manufacturers, that the government would support them in their plan of setting up processing plants in various parts of the country.
Sadiki Kasim the Deputy Director General, the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), revealed that they are working with the Ministry of Agriculture to empower farmers to be in a position to work as outgrowers for the industries.
“Am happy that they are talking about import substitution, as NARO, we are in that, we are developing which varieties have been imported usually for import substitution. We are now 70 percent rice sufficiency, previous we used to import every grain of rice in the country.”
Kassim also commended UMA for their desire to enhance local production, because, it’s in line with their research and they are ready to support it
The Agricultural Pavilion which was established at the UMA trade fair, consists of farmers, Agro processors, Researchers, and other key stakeholders in the farming business.
UMA trade fair kicked off on 02nd October 2024 and it will be closing on 10th October 2024.
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