President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has today officially flagged off Uganda’s first consignment of whole powdered milk destined for Algeria which marks a significant milestone in the country’s dairy industry and regional trade.
While speaking at the flagging off ceremony, President Museveni said that in 2023, while on a visit to Algeria, he held strategic talks with the Algerian Presidential Abdelmadjid Tebboune on best the two countries can strengthen bilateral trade especially in agriculture and agro processing.
This development where the President flagged off shipment of approximately 500 tonnes of powdered milk worth US 8 million dollars, follows increased efforts by Uganda to diversify her export market and unlock her full potential of the diary sector which has seen steady growth in production and processing.
Algeria is known in North Africa to have a large growing population with a potential to have a growing demand for diary products and this makes it a strategic partner for Uganda’s expansion into dairy exports.
According to the Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development, this development will not only earn the country indisputable foreign exchange but will also boost incomes of the local livestock farmers and reinforce the Country’s position as a key player in Africa’s agricultural value chain.
The export deal is therefore a broader bilateral trade agreement signed during President Museveni state visit to Algeria in 2023 which was facilitated by the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries alongside the Uganda Export Promotions Board that ensures commodity quality compliance with Algerian government standards.
Over the years the diary sector in Uganda has become one of the most competitive in the region with milk production surpassing 2.8 billion liters annually and with current exports to over 15 countries across Africa and Middle East and this grand entry into Northern Africa is a strategic gate way to further markets.
