UNBS Enforces Maize Quality
Mar 15, 2004
THE Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has started working with maize exporters to ensure that Uganda’s maize meets the minimum requirements of having less than 14% moisture content and less than 2% foreign materials.
By Harriette Onyalla
THE Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has started working with maize exporters to ensure that Uganda’s maize meets the minimum requirements of having less than 14% moisture content and less than 2% foreign materials.
Dr. Safina Namugga, the standards officer at UNBS said this follows a directive from the trade minister, Prof. Edward Rugumayo.
“Uganda’s maize was getting a reputation for being sub-standard because of the high moisture content. Even traders who would export good quality maize could not fetch a good price because the maize was from the same country,†Namugga said.
She said the minister’s directive was issued on January 30, this year but UNBS gave the traders a deadline of February 23, to implement the minimum quality standards.
Namugga said the high moisture content was the biggest problem because moisture causes the maize to lose its white colour and get moulds with toxins, which can cause cancer.
She said the exporters should ensure that their maize is of ‘fair average quality, fit for human consumption and free from insects like weevils.’
Namugga said the minister’s directive requires traders to get certificates of analysis and conformity in addition to the previous documents they had been getting for maize export.
She said the current move would address packaging and clear labelling of maize bags.
“Initially, we had agreed on standardised packing of 50kg net but the traders appealed to us that the countries they export to require different quantities per bag like Kenya wants 90kg while Tanzania requires 108 kilogrammes among other countries like Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia which have their own demands,†she said.
Namugga said they had issued over 100 inspection certificates to maize exporters.
She said in the past they would have some traders trying to export maize with moisture content as high as 19% but of late, they had began clearing consignments with 11% moisture content.
Ends
THE Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has started working with maize exporters to ensure that Uganda’s maize meets the minimum requirements of having less than 14% moisture content and less than 2% foreign materials.
Dr. Safina Namugga, the standards officer at UNBS said this follows a directive from the trade minister, Prof. Edward Rugumayo.
“Uganda’s maize was getting a reputation for being sub-standard because of the high moisture content. Even traders who would export good quality maize could not fetch a good price because the maize was from the same country,†Namugga said.
She said the minister’s directive was issued on January 30, this year but UNBS gave the traders a deadline of February 23, to implement the minimum quality standards.
Namugga said the high moisture content was the biggest problem because moisture causes the maize to lose its white colour and get moulds with toxins, which can cause cancer.
She said the exporters should ensure that their maize is of ‘fair average quality, fit for human consumption and free from insects like weevils.’
Namugga said the minister’s directive requires traders to get certificates of analysis and conformity in addition to the previous documents they had been getting for maize export.
She said the current move would address packaging and clear labelling of maize bags.
“Initially, we had agreed on standardised packing of 50kg net but the traders appealed to us that the countries they export to require different quantities per bag like Kenya wants 90kg while Tanzania requires 108 kilogrammes among other countries like Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia which have their own demands,†she said.
Namugga said they had issued over 100 inspection certificates to maize exporters.
She said in the past they would have some traders trying to export maize with moisture content as high as 19% but of late, they had began clearing consignments with 11% moisture content.
Ends