Hot pepper exporters impose temporal ban

By Samuel Sanya and Samuel Balagadde

Hot pepper dealers have  suspended exports to European markets following an attack by false codling moth on pepper (capsicum), fresh fruit and flowers.

Speaking about the self-imposed suspension, Daniel Karibwije, the Uganda Export Promotions Board (UEPB) director trade promotions and public relations noted that the industry would emerge stronger and more competitive.

“The UEPB is working closely with the ministry of agriculture and that of trade to sensitize 60,000 farmers and export houses to comply with the phytosanitary certification requirements,” Kariwije told the New Vision in a telephone interview.

Karibwije noted that government has designed a program to train farmers and export houses on how to prevent and detect the moth.
The false codling moth is hard to detect as its larvae grow within fresh fruit and flowers.

He also noted that government is set to merge the existing organizations such as Horticultural Exporters Association (Hortexa) and the Uganda Horticulture and Processors Association (UHEPA) into a single body to improve information flow.

Samuel Balagadde, the KK farms quality assurance manager noted that self-suspension was agreed to after a meeting with the agriculture ministry in order to verify and stamp out quack export firms that are not meeting standards.

“There are so many brief case export firms for pepper that have killed the quality of pepper exported.
Only proper firms that have out growers should be verified for export,” James Kanyije, the KK farms boss said.

KK farms is one of the largest pepper exporters with 30,000 small holder out growers, the company recently opened a store in the UK to buy and supply Ugandan exports to supermarkets in the country.

Kanyije noted that exporters will train farmers on the use of pesticides to fight the moth in addition to deploying agronomists to ensure pepper exports meet required standards before they leave the country.

Farmers already affected by the pest were advised to clear grass from their gardens including rotten wastes including the rotten peppers.

Kanyije also urged the farmers to ensure that their fields are monitored and   sprayed with   genuine pesticides   from authorized and reputable dealers.

“Uganda horticultural farmers and exporters risk losing the lucrative EU market over failure to meet set standards by EU markets who have warned all countries to ensure all produce meant for the market is free of harmful pests and meets the “required minimum residual levels” said Kanyije.

Robert Kyeyune of Mars Consultants said Uganda’s  horticulture export  to European markets entirely  dependent  on the farmers attitudes  towards   food farming practices  in conformity to the requirements  for  foreign markets .

A new regime by the EU has a provision of 100% inspection of all peppers at a fee of €47 (sh206,075) per sample and destruction of the imported produce that does not meet the required standards.

The European Union had threatened over 170 categories of Uganda’s fresh fruit exports with a ban after discovering significant numbers of consignments affected by moths in Belgium.

Speaking to the New Vision recently, Céline Prud’homme Madsen, EU’s programme officer for trade in Uganda, said sanctions against Uganda have been put on hold because EU has received promising progress of action on the errant exporters.

Horticulture exports are worth $50m (sh136b) annually.