UNBS Urges Rice, Maize and Sorghum dealers to Adhere to Standards

The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has called upon rice, maize and sorghum dealers to adhere to its standards during the production processes to improve the quality of the final products.

While sensitising traders in Mbale and Bulambuli, the Senior Surveillance Officer at UNBS Gaston Kironde emphasised that if the standards are not adhered to, consumers, government and the business community are all negatively affected.

“Non-Compliance to standards leads to poor quality goods which affects the health of the public, government’s reputation due to poor quality exports and, Seizing of goods and business closures leading to losses among the business community,” said Kironde.

Kironde reminded them that if they don't adhere to the standards, which are also available on the UNBS website, they will be penalised.

The UNBS Principal Certification Officer Ronald Ahimbisibwe urged the stakeholders to seek UNBS certification of their products once Good Hygiene and Manufacturing practices are implemented as required by the standards.

The UNBS activities in Eastern Uganda were supported by the US Government, through USAID and Feed-the-Future under the IAM Project.

“We are here to work with UNBS to raise awareness about quality Standards and also have all participants commit to improving the quality of their products,” said Kirsten Pfeiffer, the deputy chief of party at Feed-the-Future, IAM Project.

The traders on the other hand were grateful to UNBS for having sensitized them about the standards before enforcement.

In addition to the aforementioned traders, the three-day sensitisation workshop brought together local authorities, Influencers, and the media in the Elgon sub-region.