Snakes, crocodiles earn Uganda sh6b
Aug 26, 2009
Uganda fetched about sh6b from the export of crocodile skins, snakes, chameleons and butterflies last year, Parliament heard yesterday.
By Joyce Namutebi and Cyprian Musoke
Uganda fetched about sh6b from the export of crocodile skins, snakes, chameleons and butterflies last year, Parliament heard yesterday.
Parliament also heard from its committee on tourism, trade and industry that the number of tourists rose to 843,864 in 2008 from 641,743 in 2007.
“Wildlife trade contributed about $3m (about sh6b) to the national revenues from the export of crocodile skins, snakes, chameleons and butterflies raised on private land,†the committee vice-chairperson, Sseguya Lubyayi, said.
He did not however state the countries where the items were exported and owners of the private land where they are reared.
Apiculture contributed about $17m (about sh15.5b) to the national economy, he said. Apiculture involves keeping of bees to get honey and wax.
Lubyayi revealed that a pilot sport hunting project around Lake Mburo National Park in Mbarara district yielded about $91,000 (about sh187m).
The ministry plans to construct a regional museum in Kabale to increase tourism products in the region and a culture centre in Mbale to tap the imbalu (circumcision) culture, according to the report.
The committee, according to Lubyayi, was concerned that not much is being done to promote Uganda’s good image abroad as evidenced by the fact that many people abroad continue to ask about the late president, Idi Amin, who left the country 30 years ago.
The committee expressed displeasure over the fact that most foreign-owned supermarkets in Uganda import food stuff yet the same products can be obtained in the country.
Uganda fetched about sh6b from the export of crocodile skins, snakes, chameleons and butterflies last year, Parliament heard yesterday.
Parliament also heard from its committee on tourism, trade and industry that the number of tourists rose to 843,864 in 2008 from 641,743 in 2007.
“Wildlife trade contributed about $3m (about sh6b) to the national revenues from the export of crocodile skins, snakes, chameleons and butterflies raised on private land,†the committee vice-chairperson, Sseguya Lubyayi, said.
He did not however state the countries where the items were exported and owners of the private land where they are reared.
Apiculture contributed about $17m (about sh15.5b) to the national economy, he said. Apiculture involves keeping of bees to get honey and wax.
Lubyayi revealed that a pilot sport hunting project around Lake Mburo National Park in Mbarara district yielded about $91,000 (about sh187m).
The ministry plans to construct a regional museum in Kabale to increase tourism products in the region and a culture centre in Mbale to tap the imbalu (circumcision) culture, according to the report.
The committee, according to Lubyayi, was concerned that not much is being done to promote Uganda’s good image abroad as evidenced by the fact that many people abroad continue to ask about the late president, Idi Amin, who left the country 30 years ago.
The committee expressed displeasure over the fact that most foreign-owned supermarkets in Uganda import food stuff yet the same products can be obtained in the country.