Informal Trade Costs Uganda Shs900b in Maize Revenue.

Uganda failure to enforce regional standards aimed at eliminating cheap imports and informal trade is depriving the country of Shs 900 billion export revenue annually. Bank of Uganda statistics indicate that last year, the country formally exported maize worth $70 million (Shs254 billion) out of the 4 million metric tonnes. However, industrial players are saying the earnings less than the country’s annual revenue potential of $320 million if everybody played their part. In a bid to protect Uganda’s maize from cheap imports outside East Africa and informal traders who distort the market, sector players want government to enforce the regional standards.