The inability to conform to stringent and expensive packaging requirements is barring Uganda's honey industry from breaking into the European market. Five years after the first samples were sent to the Middle East, UK, Germany and France with few results, Uganda's honey is now finding new markets in neighbouring regions.
"Uganda's export potential is limited because of constraints in delivering the qualities and quantities needed," Uganda's Ambassador to Belgium Ms. Mirjam Blaak has said. "In Europe, you need to add value. You need things like glass jars that are sealed and leveled according to the regulations. But all this come with a cost," she said.
Early this year, a Dutch company, Bruynzeel, ordered 60 metric tonnes of honey from Uganda. However, Uganda has since failed to deliver.
Rather than battle with the stringent conditions, Uganda's honey producers and are now exporting to the East and Central African region. Most of it goes to the Great lakes states of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya Tanzania and Sudan.
The Uganda Honey Bee Producers Association estimates that some 50,000 metric tonnes of quality honey is produced in Uganda annually by its members.
The President Uganda Honey Exporters Association, Mr. Ramsey Owot, agrees that Uganda does not yet have the capacity to supply the quantity and quality of honey needed in the EU and American markets but says the Ugandan market is vibrant and offers good prices. "The EU market requires high volumes of honey, but to the best of my knowledge, we don't have that capacity. We may have the best quality honey, but still we don't have the volume that can satisfy the demand. Uganda's production capacity is still low," Owot said.
A kilogramme of refined and packed honey goes for between six to nine Us dollars within the region. On the EU open market, it goes for between $1,000 and $1,200 per tonne. On the fair trade and organic niche markets, a jar of 500 grammes can fetch up to $14. But the current levels of production can not satisfy the demand.
In Uganda most of the honey comes from traditional hives, each of which costs about $9. A hive can ordinarily produce 20 to 30 kilogrammes over four months, and the hives can produce this amount of honey for up to four years.
The top exporting countries in Africa are Zambia, Tanzania and South Africa. The price for beeswax per metric tonne is estimated at $4,600,while that of honey is estimated at $2,900 per metric tonne.
The Monitor
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