Uganda’s poultry products have been added on the list of products the government of Kenyan has banned from their market. This comes a day after Kenya Agriculture and Food Authority banned maize imports from Uganda, citing quality concerns.
Uganda’s poultry products join a list of imports banned from entering the Kenyan market as per the letter seen in circulation indicating that the Kenyan government has stopped the exportation of poultry products to Kenya from Uganda, claiming that the feeds mainly maize feeds have aflatoxins which is dangerous to the health of the people of Kenya.
Local poultry farmers are already feeling the pinch with those who have been relying on exporters to buy their eggs now stuck with their produce.
One of the farmers, Sekiwunga Rogers, who is counting losses and stuck with thousands of eggs says they are worried they won’t sale eggs anymore.
“We are now worried with this also coming up. If you put up something like closing off borders it means the demand for eggs from such a farm is going to reduce. For example, if you produce 100 trays plus, it means you won’t sale any and won’t be able to maintain business,” he said.
He also explains that before the ban on poultry products, he used to earn 4.5 million shillings daily but his revenues have dropped to 950,000 shillings.
“Automatically the daily income has gone down because the demand for eggs has consequently gone down.”
The President of Agribiz Alliance, Mutaasa Hamfrey, says this is going to have an impact on poultry because the ultimate price of chicken is going to go so low.
“The ban according to the National agribusiness alliance will have an effect of poultry production. That is why we need government to act. We need them to have talks to help us reduce the effect this is set to have on our famers.”
Dr. Fred Muhumuza, an economist from Makerere university says Kenya’s behavior shows that protectionisms is still in existence even when regional heads of state are advocating for economic integration.
This is not the first time Kenya is banning Uganda’s poultry products. In 2017, Kenya imposed a ban on Uganda’s poultry products. 2017 would have been lifted last November but Kenya said it did not get the status report on the disease in Uganda.
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[…] Africa that have over the years struggled with the increase of aflatoxins in maize and groundnuts, which recently forced Kenya to ban all maize imports from Uganda, citing the associated health concerns which are partly due to the hot and humid climate […]