Uganda cracks down on abattoir standards

By Aaron McDonald

- Last updated on GMT

Uganda's government has revealed plans to crack down on meat hygiene levels
Uganda's government has revealed plans to crack down on meat hygiene levels

Related tags Government Slaughterhouse Hygiene Beef Lamb Pork Poultry

The government of Uganda has announced plans to implement greater enforcements on abattoirs and butchery businesses that do not practise minimum hygiene requirements, according to Uganda’s Daily Monitor.

The country’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives is applying the crackdown to tackle the declining standards in meat handling across the country.

The Daily Monitor​ reported that personnel involved in the handling of meat have undergone short training courses on hygiene practices, and are being encouraged to maintain these standards.

According to Peter Odong, officer for the quality infrastructure and standards programme at the ministry, junior employees who have direct handling of meat and who transact with customers directly are being targeted for training programmes, and not owners and managers who are not directly involved in running the business.

Odong said that the ministry did not want to "take chances”​ and aimed to teach industry personnel how to keep proper hygiene standards in their surroundings and on their equipment.

The meat business in Uganda is a key player in its economy and contributes roughly 7% of the country's total gross domestic product (GDP) and nearly 20% of all agricultural GDP, according the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA).

 When the meat segment is broken down, cattle represents the main source of meat in the country for both consumers and business. According to 2008 data from the UIA, the cattle population in Uganda was around 11.4 million.

 News of the government's plan to crack down on poor standards of meat handling in abattoirs may be a sign that the country is looking develop international trade. According to a report from the UIA, it was claimed that there were no meat plants in Uganda that could be upgraded to meet international standards.

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