Poultry ban: Govt to negotiate with countries

AGRICULTURE | POULTRY BAN

The Government will not reject goods from neighbouring countries yet to lift a ban on Uganda's poultry products, but will pursue peaceful negotiations. This is according to the minister of state for Agriculture, Christopher Kibazanga.

The products are being blocked from entering countries like DR Congo, Rwanda and partially Kenya, following an outbreak of the Avian influenza early this year.

The outbreak led to a to a ban in exportation of all poultry and related products. The disease has since been contained and eliminated by the Government with support from the World Health Organisation (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and other partners.

"We believe we are brothers and sisters. We had a problem, which our brothers are exploiting, but we cannot do the same. Our market remains open for their products. We shall negotiate until they accept the country has been declared free of the birdflu," Kibazanga said.

His response follows calls by stakeholders to retaliate by closing Uganda's borders and banning goods from countries rejecting the country's poultry products.

Kibazanga  made the remarks on Tuesday, during a business meeting of poultry farmers from Uganda and farmers and experts in the Poultry sector from the Netherland.

He said the Government will soon invite the said countries to come see for themselves that bird flu is no longer a problem.

Sales in the poultry industry dropped following the ban, with some farmers saying they have since abandoned their poultry projects until further notice.