Ugandan Entrepreneurs Cautioned On Markets

By Emmanuel Mulondo A Swedish development agency (SIDA) consultant has cautioned Ugandan small-scale entrepreneurs and producers not to overlook the local and regional markets in preference to the US and other developed countries.Kurt Westerluna was recently addressing members of the Kabarole district chamber of commerce and Industry, during a meeting with Olive Zaitun Kigongo, the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry president.Westerluna and Arja Steholm, a SIDA employee, were part of Kigongo’s delegation to the district. “My opinion is that it would be too high a step to think of the Japanese and American markets. You should first look at the markets here at home and neighbouring countries,” Steholm said. Kigongo said the American market still had its limitations in that the buyers were too specific about the nature and standards of what they wanted. The standards alone, she said, would knock out potential exporters. Kigongo said currently, the AGOA market excluded export of fresh foodstuff like fruits and beef.The business community expressed dismay over the continued lack of a plan by the Government to offer them finance for developmental projects.Ends