This archive report was first published on 23 December 2019.
Uganda's Ministry of Agriculture has taken steps to avoid a potential ban on chilli exports to the European Union, restricting exports to only a few traders that meet strict requirements.
On November 22, outgoing Minister for Animal Industry Joy Kabatsi issued a statutory instrument limiting exports of hot pepper plant products to the EU, citing concerns over pest control and sanitary measures.
According to officials at the ministry's plant protection division, the restriction is in place for four months until April 2020, but exporters who can demonstrate compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary conditions will be allowed to continue exporting regularly.
Uganda's earnings from horticulture have declined significantly in recent years, from an average of $130 million per year between 2012 and 2014 to between $80 and $100 million between 2016 and 2018.
The International Plant Protection Convention requires countries to control pests and not trade in infested products, and Uganda is scrambling to implement long-overdue reforms to avoid exclusion from international trade in horticulture commodities.
Exporters have been instructed to register farmers who supply them, and only registered suppliers will be supported with inputs and extension services to ensure they employ recommended practices and use approved pesticides.
Each exporter will also have to work with registered growers that are supervised for compliance, and only farmers with land parcels measuring up to a minimum of one acre will be registered.
Uganda has more than 100 food exporters, with at least 40 engaged in the export of fruits and vegetables, and the country is looking to Kenya's example, which introduced stringent measures two years ago and has seen a more compliant industry as a result.
