Ugandan honey misses EU market

By Prossy Nandudu

Uganda will continue to lose out on the international honey market unless production is stepped up. This is because there is low production of honey, which does not satisfy local and international demand.

The observation was made by Felix Kazahura, the SNV Rwenzori regional coordinator, during the third National Honey Week organised by the Uganda National Apiculture Development Organisation (TUNADO) at Forest Mall in Kampala.

Kazahura said Uganda has failed to export honey to Europe since it was listed in 2004 to export honey to the market at zero tax rates.

He added that Uganda may lose out on the privilege if the trend continues because only five countries were given the opportunity. The countries are Ethiopia, Zambia, Tanzania, Cameroon and Uganda.

Kazahura blamed the low production on lack of extension services and the use of inappropriate technologies, which he said are expensive and complex for the farmers.

He said SNV is adapting the farmer to farmer model, where farmers are trained to offer extension services to others.

“We have been using the model in Kamwenge district and we are rolling it out to Kabarole and then West Nile. By bridging the extension and technology gap, we shall see production increasing and people making money from bee keeping,” Kazahura noted.

Mcpeace Jackson, the TUNADO chairman board of directors, said the organisation was aiming at increasing production from the current 50,000 metric tonnes of honey produced every year to over 200,000 metric tonnes to generate a $800m income.

“This is possible in the next five years if we exploit Uganda’s production potential,” he said.