The country has recorded a 77 percent growth in exports
Uganda’s exports have increased from $3.44bn in 2017 to $4.5bn in 2021, a 31 percent increase that defied the slowdown of the economy as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
This was revealed by Dr Elly Twineyo, the executive director of the Uganda Export Promotion Board (UPEB) during the President’s Export Awards at Imperial Royale hotel on June 23. Overall, the total export goods have increased from $3.47bn to $ 6.15bn, a 77 percent growth, in the last 20 years.
UPEB is the government agency mandated to coordinate the growth of exports and, therefore, the awards recognized the best local exporters in manufacturing, agriculture and services for their contribution to the development of the export sector under the silver and gold categories.
Dr Twineyo said the awards are in line with the president’s commitment to import substitution and export promotion strategy and that even when the supply chain had been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, the country was still able to increase its exports.
He also highlighted that the recently introduced Parish Development Model (PDM) is a game-changer to commercialize the economy and make sure we are out of poverty.
“The Parish Development Model is a game changer to commercialize the economy and make sure we are out of poverty. We must emancipate ourselves and decolonize our minds. The belief that foreign is good should change,” he said.
“With PDM, UEPB will be working with Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) to ensure people produce good quality goods for export. Among all exports, I want to advocate for cocoa. We want Shs 5bn revenue from cocoa.”
He also noted that UEPB has agreed with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to get an operating budget.
“This year we were given an additional Shs 3.5 billion, which is a drop in the ocean, but shows recognition,” he said.
In his remarks delivered by the third deputy prime minister Rukia Nakadama, President Museveni said Uganda can produce anything as long as the people are well guided and organized because they have the capacity to produce a lot of coffee and fruits on small pieces of land.
“We have sensitized the people in the production of various high-valued products on small acreages. A small-scale farmer can generate up to Shs 18 million per acre of coffee per year.”
Museveni then noted that when they form the East African Federation, they should eliminate all the trade irregularities.
“The ultimate logic of the integration is for the parties involved to be able to sell their products. Though we are politically fragmented, there is a need for the territories to listen to each other.”
UGACOF Shines
UGACOF coffee processors and exporters, an agro-processing and value addition firm that mainly deals in the hulling, cleaning, grading and sorting of coffee beans before they are exported, was declared this year’s Exporter of the Year.
The awards were the climax of the weeklong National Export Awareness Week which kicked off on June 17 under the theme, “Enhancing government efforts to boost export growth.”
The first runner-up for the Exporter of the Year award was Olam Uganda Limited which deals in coffee and cocoa while the second runner-up was Kawa Com Uganda Limited which exports coffee, cocoa and oil seeds.
Other winners in the gold category included Wagagai Ltd for flowers, Fresh Perch Ltd for fish, Kinyara Sugar Ltd for sugar, Roofings Ltd for base
metals and products, Hima Cement Ltd for cement, Kampala International University for education, Nile Breweries for alcoholic beverages and Crown Beverages for non-alcoholic beverages, among others.