The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has revealed that no grain will be traded in and out of Uganda unless it bears the quality mark (Q-mark) starting next financial year.
This comes as the country works to restore grain market confidence following complaints of substandard grain by the regional export markets.
UNBS says that the initiative is aimed at combating widespread aflatoxin contamination and boosting Uganda’s grain industry. To this end, the grain traders and exporters have been advised to source grain only from certified premises.
The new measures were announced at an ongoing training of Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in grain quality and standards.
The “comprehensive” training, done by UNBS in partnership with the Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC), involves grain handling, testing and grading, all aimed at enhancing grain quality management across the region. It is in line with the new UNBS value proposition of growing quality MSMEs through handholding and equipping them with crucial knowledge and skills in food safety to ensure consumer protection, fair trade, and enhance the competitiveness of locally manufactured products on the regional and international markets.
Speaking during the training at UNBS head offices in Bweyogerere, Patricia Bageine Ejalu, the Deputy Executive Director in charge of standards at the UNBS, said that grain and grain products were by far the most consumed products in Uganda, and urged MSMEs to collaborate with the government in enhancing the quality of grain products traded in and out of the country.
According to her, both the farmers and grain aggregators, as well as flour processors, each have specific roles to play to ensure product safety.
“When producing food, you hold people’s lives in your hands; comply with standards to have quality and safe products on the market because, very soon, no grain product will be traded in and out of Uganda without a Q-mark (quality mark) and a Sanitary and Phytosanitory (SPS ) permit”.
Commenting on the training, Paul Ochuna, EAGC Country Manager for Uganda, stated that the training was coming at a critical moment for Uganda’s grain sector, which is witnessing growth and increasing demand.
“With the increasing demand from regional markets, ensuring that our grain meets the required quality and safety standards is not optional, but essential,” he said.
In 2023, close to 2,000 tons of grain were destroyed by the government following rejection by South Sudan, which claimed that the products did not meet its standards requirements.
“By equipping MSMEs and quality officers with hands-on skills, we are strengthening Uganda’s competitiveness, reducing post-harvest losses, and opening up trade opportunities worth hundreds of millions of dollars,” said Ochuna.
More than 40 percent of the grain is lost due to poor handling across the region, with Uganda alone recording losses worth more than 45 million annually.
These losses not only affect food security but also hinder the country’s ability to compete in lucrative regional markets such as Kenya, South Sudan, and Rwanda, according to UNBS.
The standards agency says that continued joint efforts between government and the private sector signify an unwavering commitment to improving the quality of grain and grain products across the entire value chain.
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