High hopes as Uganda makes first avocado export to Spain

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Agriculturalists have high expectations of reaping more benefits after Uganda made its maiden Hass avocado export to Spain by sea on November 19, 2024.

A container of fresh fruits worth $40,000 (about sh147.7m) was flagged off from Kampala to the southwestern European country by the Lira District Woman MP and chairperson of the parliamentary committee on agriculture, Linda Agnes Auma.

Spain is located at the crossroads of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, Europe and Africa.

The export is spearheaded by Avotein Farms Ltd with support from the National Agriculture Advisory Services (NAADS), an agency under the agriculture ministry.

Auma, who was the chief guest, urged farmers to plant more Hass avocados to be able to tap into the huge global market for the fruit known as green gold.

“We have a huge acreage of land that is unutilised, though very fertile. However, the majority of our farmers don’t have the financial capacity to produce Hass avocado as required for exports. So, we have just finalised working on a Contract Farming Bill that will enable us to attract many investors to come and have contracts with our farmers who have land,” she said.

She also said that if processed and passed, the proposed law will enable an investor to specify the quantity and quality of what he or she wants to export so that farmers produce as per the agreement.

(Courtesy photo/NAADS)

NAADS executive director, Dr Samuel Mugasi, said they have been producing Hass avocado for quite some time but most of it goes through neighbouring countries.

“And it is exported with flags of our neighbouring countries, but we have today (Tuesday) begun exporting our own avocado bearing our Ugandan flag,” he told the media.

The markets director at the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID), Brenda Katarikawe, said Tuesday marked a significant milestone for the country’s agricultural sector and its growing presence in global trade.

“Currently, we are selling a lot of our traditional avocado in the United Arab Emirates, but this breakthrough into Europe marks a significant step in the direction of the growth of not only avocado but many other agricultural exports,” she said.

PACEID chairperson, Odrek Rwabwogo, and senior presidential advisor on special duties, also said exporting the first container of Hass avocados from Uganda to Europe by sea is a monumental step towards fulfilling their vision of making Uganda a powerhouse in the international export market.

“The export of this container signifies more than just economic gain. It is a testament to Uganda’s ability to compete on a global scale and deliver high-quality, sustainably grown products. These avocados represent the promise of a better future for farmers, increased foreign exchange earnings for the country, and strengthened trade ties with Europe,” he said.

Rwabwogo also noted that this achievement aligns seamlessly with PACEID’s goals of increasing exports to $6b by 2028.