Five trucks of the impounded vehicles carrying exports of grain to South Sudan had grains containing aflatoxion substance and are ceased by the UNBS at the Nimule- Elugu border point and the owners will be interrogated to explain why they were exporting the products that had not been certified by the UNBS.
This was revealed by the UNBS Director, David Livingstone Ebiru while addressing journalist at Uganda Media Centre on July 14, 2023. He said that a team of experts travelled on July 7 to Sudan and they managed to convince the Authorities who had impounded the commodity tracks on grounds of carry grains containing Aflotoxin substance.
He said that 66 tracks in total where impounded but they have so far managed to access only 23 that were at the Nimule- Elegu boarder and they took sample of the products they were carrying and only 5 failed the test, they had products that contained the Afflation substance. Of the 23 trucks, 8 were for maize grains, 12 maize flour, 2 had beans, 3 Sorghum I millet grains and cassava flour respectively.
Ebiru also said that 27 consignments were sampled and these had commodities which included; Maize grains, dry beans, Cassava Flour, Maize corns, Sorghum and Finger Millet grains. Out of the maize grains 4 tracks failed the test. While out of the 12 tracks that were containing maize flour only one failed the scientific test. A total of 22 tracks were sampled and commodities tested of Aflatoxin B1, B2, and G1 and G2 only 5 failed the test.
The director of UNBS said that the tracks whose consignments failed the tests have been ceased because they had no the certification Q-Mark and are kept at URA offices pending further investigation on how they passed at the border point.
The minister of state for Trade in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Co-operatives Harriet Ntabazi said that government has made interventions that are aimed at ensuring such incidences are not happening again because this make all stake holders lose revenue.
Ntabazi said that a one stop center has been now established and premises have been developed at the countries Nimule- Elegu border and goods that are being exported from Uganda to South Sudan will be checked and certified.
She however argued traders to embrace value addition on all the product that they are trading in because when value have been added on the product standards can easily be adhered to because it becomes easier for UNBS and other government agencies to follow up and ensure that the standards are met.
Despite such challenge, Uganda export trade with South Sudan has grown high were the former in the financial year 2022, exported goods worth US $ 12.4 billion while the later received goods worth US $ 1.4 billion.
The manager Enforcement Operations at URA who said that the country did not lose any tax revenue because Agricultural exports to such a country are exempted from export duty.
Henry Musisi said that there’s a need to increase awareness on how to handle the products right from the garden to value addition. He also said there are granaries that are constructed by the private players but government also should make intervention so as to bridge the gap.
By George Bukenya.
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