PUganda-China Agreements on Agricultural Exports to Create Trade Balance, says Tumwebaze

  • Wed, 9 October 2024

PUganda-China Agreements on Agricultural Exports to Create Trade Balance, says Tumwebaze



The Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries (MAAIF), Frank Tumwebaze, has said that the recently signed protocols between Uganda and China will significantly boost the trade balance between the two countries. 

MAAIF on behalf of Uganda and the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) on behalf of the Chinese Government signed two protocols during the recently concluded 9th Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held in Beijing from 2nd to 8th September 2024.

The two protocols include the Protocol on inspection, quarantine, and sanitary requirements of wild aquatic products, including Nile perch fillets, headless and gutted Nile perch, fish maw, fish skins, and fish scales; silver fish products to be exported from Uganda to China; and the Protocol on inspection, quarantine, and sanitary requirements for the Export of Dried Chilies from Uganda to China. The second protocol formalizes an agreement on the export of dried chilies as it opens up the door to accessing one of the world’s largest chili consumer markets. 


Today, Tumwebaze said the protocols will significantly tackle the Uganda-China trade imbalance that has negatively impacted Uganda for years. 

 “The signing of the two protocols, therefore, represents a significant leap forward for Uganda’s agricultural export development and will contribute to creating a balance of trade with China,” he said. 

Tumwebaze, who on Tuesday was speaking to reporters in Kampala, noted that with the combined efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture and the private sector (producers, processors, exporters, etc.), Uganda is well-positioned to meet the demands of the Chinese market while ensuring the highest standards of food safety and quality in its exports. 

There have been numerous calls and complaints from the general public, especially those involved in the export of wild aquatic products, which include Nile perch fillets, headless and gutted Nile perch, fish maw, fish skins, fish scales, silverfish products, and dried chillies, over difficulties in exporting products to China, which Tumwebaze acknowledged.