The State Minister for Finance in charge of Investment and Privatization, Evelyn Anite, has urged Ugandans to invest in improving livestock value chain practices to meet the demands of an expanding market. Despite Uganda’s strong agricultural foundation, its value chains have yet to be fully developed to meet international standards.
During a monitoring tour of Ranchers Finest, a meat processing company, Anite emphasized the missed opportunities due to reliance on traditional practices. She stated, “There is a need for deliberate investment in enhancing our value chain from farm to plate to capitalize on the growing market, both locally and internationally.”
Anite noted that while several companies have invested in adding value to agricultural products, they struggle with securing standard-quality inputs. She encouraged Ugandans to strategically invest funds from the Parish Development Model, considering the availability of market opportunities.
Regarding the livestock sector, the minister highlighted Uganda’s concessional agreement to supply Britain, which has gone unmet for over four years due to insufficient quality and quantity of supplies. She identified Ranchers Finest as a key player in addressing this gap, noting that “they meet the standards required by the intended market.”
Anite also announced plans to work with the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council to ensure Ranchers Finest obtains a Halal Certificate, facilitating access to Islamic markets. “Just as we addressed challenges with Islamic banking, we will collaborate with our Muslim brothers to ensure our products reach the Arab world because we need that market as well,” she pledged.
Collins Muyanja, CEO of Ranchers Finest, expressed the company’s readiness to promote Uganda’s meat products globally, highlighting their fully integrated farm-to-plate system. He noted the global demand for Ugandan beef, praised for its low cholesterol levels, and detailed the company’s back-integration model that supports job creation.
Muyanja added that Ranchers Finest is one of the few Ugandan food processing companies with internationally accepted products, having earned an ISO 22000 certification. The company works with organized farmers’ groups to ensure traceability, from farm to abattoir to processing plant.
“We organize farmers into groups and associations, training them in animal husbandry and ensuring traceability of animals from farm to processing plant,” he explained.
He assured the minister that the company provides a guaranteed market for farmers who meet quality standards, adding that Ranchers Finest has the capacity to produce sufficient canned beef for the UPDF and the Uganda Police.
However, Muyanja raised concerns about the lack of an internationally certified abattoir that meets export market standards, which hampers operations. He also highlighted challenges posed by the unregulated market, where informal processors disrupt the business.
Additionally, Muyanja pointed out that VAT is affecting product pricing, making it expensive by Ugandan standards.
By
Denis Kasule Ssebunya