Government, stakeholders seek solutions to boost Uganda’s avocado industry

Government officials, farmers, exporters, processors, financiers, researchers, and development partners have convened to discuss strategies for strengthening Uganda’s avocado industry and enhancing its competitiveness in regional and international markets.

The consultative engagement, held at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala and organized by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, focused on addressing key challenges affecting the rapidly growing sector while exploring opportunities for increased production, value addition, and export growth.

Speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Commissioner for External Trade Cleopas Ndorere reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building an inclusive and sustainable avocado industry, emphasizing that farmers’ voices would remain central in shaping future policies and regulatory interventions.

“The government remains committed to ensuring that the avocado sector grows in a manner that benefits all stakeholders, particularly farmers who form the backbone of the industry,” Ndorere said.

Representing the Administrator of the State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU), Col. Edith Nakalema, SHIPU official Stephen Kaheru highlighted the sector’s immense potential to create employment opportunities, increase export earnings, and improve rural livelihoods across the country.

Kaheru called for practical and time-bound solutions to address existing bottlenecks, stressing the importance of continuous dialogue and collaboration among stakeholders throughout the avocado value chain.

Uganda’s avocado industry has gained prominence in recent years as global demand for avocados continues to rise, presenting opportunities for farmers and exporters to access lucrative international markets.

However, farmers attending the engagement cited several challenges that continue to constrain the sector’s growth. These include limited access to extension services, inadequate supply of certified seedlings, lack of aggregation centres, and concerns over pricing and grading systems.

Participants also called for balanced regulation of cross-border trade and stronger partnerships among farmers, processors, exporters, government agencies, and development partners to enhance market access and improve product quality.

Stakeholders agreed that addressing these challenges will be critical to unlocking the full potential of Uganda’s avocado industry and positioning the country as a competitive player in the global avocado market.

The engagement forms part of ongoing government efforts to strengthen agricultural value chains, promote value addition, and increase export competitiveness as Uganda seeks to diversify its export base and create more income opportunities for farmers.