Ugandans threaten to shun fruit exports to Kenya over thefts

Ugandan traders who export fruits to Kenya have threatened to abandon the business due to the high rate of theft in Kenyan markets, The Daily Monitor reported on Saturday.

The Ugandan exporters say they have lost most of their capital in the business due to unprofessional conduct by Kenyan market brokers and vendors who steal fruits before they reach their destination.

"The biggest problem we are facing in the Kenyan market is theft. The stealing starts at the border were police officers sometimes take a few in broad daylight and you have nothing to do. But theft is mostly in the markets were vendors steal the fruits," Hussein Kabanda, a fruit exporter said, adding that more fruits are stolen during the process of offloading from the lorries.

Kenya's climate is not favorable for fruit growing and as a result the country depends more on the commodity exports from Uganda. Major markets include Machakos, Wakurima, Isilli and Nakuru among others, where fruits like watermelons, bananas, ginger and passion fruits are on high demand.

Kabanda said Uganda would be reaping a lot from the good prices on the Kenyan market if it were not for the thefts. He also cited disorganization in the markets, adding that it is difficult for Ugandans to sell the fruits without a Kenyan broker.

"If you try to sell directly to the buyers, then they all boycott to buy the fruits until you agree to get a broker to sell them for you. This is the start of the theft were some pieces disappear and at the end, the balance sheet never balances," he said.

As a result, he said many exporters have decided to abandon gazetted markets and are now supplying their commodities to supermarkets and hotels.

Source: Xinhua