Uganda has taken a step towards expanding its value-added agricultural footprint after local meat processing firm Ranchers Finest Ltd dispatched the country’s first consignment of processed beef to Ethiopia.
The maiden shipment was flagged off on Thursday from the Ranchers Finest Ltd factory in Kawempe.
The export marks the commencement of a formal supply agreement with the Diamond Hotel and Restaurant Group, a prominent Ethiopian hospitality chain.
Under the bilateral trade pact, the Ugandan firm will export approximately 20 tonnes of premium meat products to Ethiopia every month.
The recurring monthly shipments will consist of high-value processed beef, steaks, sausages, and lamb.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, the Senior Presidential Advisor on Agribusiness, Dr. Hillary Emmanuel Musoke Kisanja, described the deal as a historic breakthrough for Uganda’s livestock sector.
“This deal is a very big achievement for Uganda and one of the biggest milestones for our livestock industry,” Dr. Musoke said.
The presidential advisor argued that Uganda must aggressively phase out the export of live animals in favor of localized processing.
“We need to process all the meat from the farm to the fork,” Dr. Musoke emphasized.
He noted that domestic meat processing retains wealth within the country while creating vital jobs in slaughtering, packaging, transportation, and quality assurance.
Dr. Musoke urged citizens to expand their livestock farming operations to cash in on the rapidly growing regional demand for processed meat.
Ranchers Finest secured the lucrative export contract through a competitive procurement process.
The company won the bid due to its strict compliance with international food safety benchmarks, holding both ISO 22000:2018 and HACCP certifications.
Ranchers Finest Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Collin Muyanja, stated that the agreement reflects a surging international confidence in Uganda's meat industry.
Mr. Muyanja noted that exporting processed meat rather than live animals yields higher export revenues, improves product traceability, and supports government industrialization goals.
