Farmers urged to improve grain handling to unlock regional markets

Ugandan grain farmers have been urged to invest more in post-harvest handling methods to protect their produce from aflatoxin contamination and avoid losing access to lucrative regional markets.

Officials from the Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC) warned that poor handling and storage of grains could expose farmers to rejection of their produce, resulting in losses for both individual farmers and the country’s export sector.

Aflatoxins, according to health experts, are potent carcinogenic mycotoxins found in crops such as maize, groundnuts and sorghum, especially when stored under humid conditions with poor quality control.

The report added that the toxins are highly stable and resistant to conventional cooking and can enter the human food chain through animal products and even breast milk for breastfeeding mothers.

The health burden associated with aflatoxins also carries high economic costs, with Uganda spending approximately $910,000 annually on aflatoxin-related health services and facing potential economic losses of up to $577 million per year due to trade restrictions.

According to EAGC country director Herbert Kyeyamwa, aflatoxin contamination remains one of the biggest threats to the grain sector, public health and export competitiveness. The stakeholder engagement was held under the theme, “Promoting the Competitiveness of Uganda's Grain Trade Sector for Local and Export Markets”.

“Every year, significant volumes of grain lose value because they do not meet acceptable safety standards. Improving competitiveness therefore requires a collective investment in post-harvest handling, warehouse management, testing, certification and continuous capacity building across the value chain,” Kyeyamwa said.

He made the call on July 24, 2026, during a stakeholder engagement under the theme "Promoting the competitiveness of the Grain Trade Sector through the local and regional markets" at Hotel Africana.

The platform brought together government officials, the private sector, development partners, financial institutions and other stakeholders to strengthen cooperation and improve the competitiveness of the grain sector.

Officiating as chief guest, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of East African Community Affairs, Edith Mwanje, assured grain traders that the Government is committed to ensuring regional integration supports trade and economic prosperity.

Mwanje also advised grain dealers to take advantage of regional trading blocs such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the African Continental Free Trade Area to secure more markets for Uganda’s grains.

Currently, Uganda’s grains are exported to Kenya, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, among other markets.

“Together, these regional trade blocs will provide access to an expanded market of hundreds of millions of consumers. However, the right of access to these markets alone is not enough. Our businesses must also be competitive in compliance and market entry,” she said.

Mwanje explained that competitiveness goes beyond reducing production costs, adding that businesses must consistently meet standards, comply with regional regulations and observe the rules of origin for regional and international markets.

She pledged support to grain dealers through strengthening the implementation of regional commitments under the Southern African Community, including promoting harmonised trade and facilitating the elimination of non-tariff barriers, which remain a hindrance to grain trade.

Other areas that MEACA is working on include improving border and port procedures and supporting coordinated border management.

“These efforts are essential in reducing the cost of doing business and enhancing the competitiveness of Uganda's trade and commerce. Equally important is to be compliant with product standards and sanitary and phytosanitary regulations as regional and global markets become increasingly quality conscious,” Mwanje added.

How EAGC is supporting members to meet quality standards

Kyeyamwa said EAGC has supported the establishment of grain business hubs that organise farmers to supply one buyer, in addition to introducing an online trading platform called E-Soko.

The platform connects farmers, traders, warehouse operators, processors and buyers through a transparent and efficient market system that reduces transaction costs and expands market opportunities.

In terms of accreditation, he said EAGC has been accredited as an ISO 9000:2015 inspection body, supporting businesses to comply with increasing requirements needed to access regional and international markets.

Trade losses linked to food safety concerns

Commenting on the development, Jonathan Lubega, a policy analyst from the Southern and Eastern Africa Trade Information and Negotiations Institute (SEATINI), said contaminated food affects not only consumer health but also trade.

Lubega said Uganda continues to face challenges, including rejection of Ugandan grains such as maize from regional markets in Kenya and South Sudan due to high aflatoxin levels.

“These denials of food export to other countries have brought economic challenges. For example, reports indicate that approximately sh32.8 billion has been lost from 2023 to date on issues of non-compliance with the food safety requirements of the food that we are exporting,” Lubega said.

To further grow earnings from the grain business, David Baziwana from Enterprise Uganda assured stakeholders interested in joining the sector of training support aimed at unlocking more investment opportunities.