The Government will now support the grain sub-sector with the view of strengthening Uganda’s position in the export market, according to the Uganda Warehouse Receipt System Authority.

Speaking during a tour of Tonga Investment grain facility in Mubende District, which is now under redevelopment to fit the ware house receipt standards, Ms Deborah Kyarasiime, the Uganda warehouse Receipt System Authority managing director, said there has been a race to beat quality related challenges raised by importers of Ugandan grain, which now requires government to hand-hold selected grain handling facilities and traders to meet internationally accepted standards.

“We have noted that a number of players in this sector are just buyers and sellers of grain without any professionalism. So, what we are doing now is to introduce standards to them and those that fit the bill will be offered licenses,” she said.

Under the warehouse receipt system, farmers bulk their produce, sometimes through cooperatives, and store it in a gazetted licensed warehouse where they are issued with a receipt that can be used to search for markets or stake as collateral to access funding.

Tonga Investment is among some of the grain facilities that government, through the Uganda Warehouse Receipt System Authority, is receiving support to offer grain storage services from farmers in the Mityana area.

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