STATE OF NATION: Agricultural sector feeds, earns Uganda UGX7.5Trn – President Museveni

Entebbe – President Museveni has applauded the agricultural sector for independently sustaining the citizens of Uganda and generating earnings amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

During his State of the Nation Address at State House Entebbe Thursday, President Museveni highlighted that the agricultural sector was robust, reliable and beneficial to the nation.

“It is now 78 days since the lockdown we launched on the 18th of March, 2020, in response to the pandemic of the corona-virus, However, Uganda is still standing and coping because of the great ideas we implemented including prioritization of Agriculture,” President Museveni revealed.

“The vulnerable portions of the economy have collapsed. However, the real economy is standing up and expanding in agriculture and industry’’. He noted

President Museveni disclosed that the agricultural sector had earned Uganda US$2Bn (UGX7.59Trn) which is closed to 49% of total merchandise exports as of the year 2019

’Even in this lockdown, since March, the following agricultural products have earned for us as follows: Coffee earned US$45.87M and US$36.928M for the months of March and April respectively; Tea in March earned US$5.15M (March) and US$6.14M (April). whilst Fish garnered US$14.98M (March) and, US$6.831m (April), and Maize earning US$10.23M in March and US$6.256M in April,” President Museveni.

“Our agriculture is not only feeding us – almost 100% – but also earning for us of the magnitude of US$2.005Bn,” President Museveni boasted.

According to the statistics he presented, it is evident agriculture is still the backbone of Uganda’s economy

“Our correct policy on the private sector, the corruption and obstruction of many of our public servants notwithstanding, has also attracted a total of 5,200 factories. These are producing: cement, steel bars, soap, mattresses, Mabaati (Iron sheets), sugar, cooking oil, rubber tyres, textiles, beverages, beers, etc., that brought in a total of US$2.09billion.

This sector is ready for even a qualitative change by starting manufacturing buses, mini-buses, pick-ups, small cars, bicycles’’. He supplemented

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Mr. Museveni went ahead to commend the ICT sector as a growing one, employing 1,282,818 persons with 380,896 companies engaged in information technology, telecommunications, broadcasting, postal and courier and audio-visual.

“Therefore, these are the sectors of the economy that will not easily collapse because of the corona-virus’’. He said.

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