Gov’t Planning A 100,000 Hectare Palm Oil Plantation

Posted by: Kyeyune Andrew Jonathan in Agriculture December 23, 2022

The government has disclosed its plan to plant at least 100,000 hectares of palm oil plantation in the country. This comes after a spike in the demand for edible oils that has caused an increase in imports as well.

On top of replacing imports, the government also aims at heightening the growth of sunflower, sesame, and soya beans.

“The government policy is to promote both palm and oil seeds. We want farmers to get involved on a large scale. Our target is to satisfy both immediate consumer demand and also have a robust domestic value chain,” the State Minister for Agriculture, Mr Fred Bwino Kyakulaga, said on Wednesday.

He said this on Wednesday in Kalangala district while addressing stakeholders at a three-day retreat. While here, representatives from various sectors and oil palm farmers pointed out the gaps in the plan.

At the moment, Uganda manages an output of only 80,000 metric tonnes of edible oil annually. However, though, the current demand stands at a peak of 120,000 metric tonnes.

Mr Kyakulaga revealed that the country’s target is to attain an output of 500,000 metric tonnes by 2025. Apparently, the government has indulged different banks in talks of supporting oil palm farmers looking to expand.

He explained that the country will have enough edible oil and other soap-making ingredients once they hit its 2025 target.

“The current crisis where prices of edible oils and soap are through the roof has taught us a lesson. We don’t want to rely on other countries for crude oil yet we can produce ours in plenty,” he said.

Check Also;

This is not a Paywall, but Newslex Point's journalism consumes a lot of time, hard-work and money. That's why we're kindly requesting you to support us in anyway they can, for as little as $1 or more, you can support us .

Please use the button below to contribute to Newslex Point, Inc. using a credit card or via PayPal.