By Our Reporter
The Minister of Trade and Cooperatives, Amelia Kyambadde has urged farmers to take advantage of the increasing demand for Sorghum and Cassava by beer companies and take to commercial farming. UBL currently needs approximately 21,000 tons of Cassava, Barley and Sorghum and Maize for their brewing processes.
The Minister was speaking during a cocktail hosted by Uganda Breweries Limited at the Lake Victoria Serena Hotel in honor of visiting board members from East African Breweries Limited (EABL). Uganda Breweries is a subsidiary of EABL, the region’s leading beverage Alcohol Company in which Diageo is a majority shareholder.
“Local production of beer brands like Ngule, Senator, Bell Lager and Tusker presents an opportunity for local farmers to provide high quality raw materials. UBL locally sources these materials with the aim of strengthening household incomes and eradicating poverty,” said Mark Ocitti. Uganda Breweries Managing Director.
The key local raw materials used in Uganda for beer production are sorghum, barley, corn starch (maize) and tapioca (cassava) and the key farming areas are in Sebei, Kapchorwa, Acholi, Lango, Zombo, Teso, the Rwenzoris, Kigezi and Buganda.
The Minister hailed UBL for their contribution towards growth of the agricultural sector by sourcing raw materials for beer locally.
“The use of the local raw materials is in line with the current initiative by the Government of ‘Buy Uganda Build Uganda’ (BUBU) which advocates for procurement of goods and services locally in order to support the local enterprises and also as one strategy to transform Uganda into a middle income status,” she said.
Under their Local raw materials program, every year Uganda Breweries Limited invests over 20 billion shillings in agriculture and agri-business to enable the brewery collect over 25,000 metric tons of raw material cereals from 17,000 farmers in Uganda.