By. Our reporter. Government has pledged to meet all the parameters required for export of Uganda coffee.
This was disclosed by the minister of state for Agriculture Christopher Kibanzanga while speaking at the coffee stakeholders meeting held in kampala today which attracted standards officials from the Sudanese government.
He says, government will enhance the technical and human capacity at Uganda coffee Development Authority laboratories so as to meet the required coffee standards for export.
He adds that increasing compliance will save the country time and costs of the coffee exports tests which have been always done in Kenya before taken to countries like sudan rendering Uganda coffee non competitive .
Kibazanga confirms that his ministry is pushing for a new coffee bill that will transform the coffee sector into being profitable and meeting the quality standards in coffee value chain.
At the same meeting, the Sudanese Standards and Metrology Organisation has applauded Uganda for measures put in place to ensure standards of coffee.
The deputy director general Eng Zakaria Suliman Salih says they are happy with what was seen following a tour of some labs.
He says Uganda meets the set safety parameters and standards set by Sudan for coffee exports.
Meanwhile the deputy director of Uganda’s standards body UNBS Patricia Ejalu notes they are working to harmonize coffee standards in the two countries.
The Sudan delegation is in the country to verify the coffee value chain and also look at the issue of standards adherence.
According to the Uganda Coffee Development Authority, Sudan is one of the biggest importers of Ugandan coffee accounting for 20 % of the 4.5 M bags exported.
END
