The Ugandan government has issued Kenyan poultry processors with an import quota. This directive comes a week after the Kenyan government lifted a two-year ban on poultry products from Uganda following an Avian flu outbreak in 2017.
In a letter by Uganda Commissioner of Animal Health at the Ministry of Agriculture Dr Ann Rose Ademun, Kenyan poultry processors are only allowed to export into Uganda 2,000kg of smoked chicken sausages for four months.
“We will only allow (processed chicken) import from Kenya for a period of four months and only 2,000kg of chicken sausages,” part of the letter reads. Ademun said the move is to protect Uganda’s poultry industry.
She delved deeper into the matter noting that this move was for the improvement of Uganda's local meat and poultry industry.
“In order to promote and support the Uganda government goal on the development of meat industry, the Department of Animal Health wishes to advise you to source for meat (chicken) products in the local market. We shall allow import for a short time not exceeding four months from now,” Dr Ademun's letter addressed to poultry industry players stated.
Kenya imports about 35,000kg of Uganda poultry weekly. The import restriction has generated an unhealthy competition and contention between the two East African Community (EAC) countries. The trade spat may hurt both Kenyan and Ugandan farmers.
Paul Makau, a large-scale poultry farmer and the chairman of the United Broiler Farmers Association, said Uganda’s move negates the spirit of the EAC Common Market Protocol, which allows for free movement of goods, labour, services, and capital.
“The new development means that the Uganda poultry products have free access to the Kenyan market while the Kenyan products are regulated from accessing the Ugandan market,” he said.
The impact will be felt heavily by many households in rural areas which rear chicken for commercial purposes.
