Middle East is now leading destination for Uganda’s formal exports, according to a latest report by Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS).
The UBOS Merchandise Trade Statistics report for the month of March 2021 shows that the Middle East was the leading destination of Uganda’s formal exports throughout the period under review followed by the EAC, European Union, Other Africa and Asia.
In March 2021, formal exports to Middle East decreased by 10.0 percent to US$ 161.6 million, accounting for 38.8 percent of formal exports compared to US$ 179.6 million registered in February 2021.
The leading country of destination was United Arab Emirates with revenues worth US$ 158.5 million representing 38.1 percent of total export earnings. The East African Community (EAC) was the second with its export earnings increasing to US$ 109.6 million in March 2021 compared to US$ 97.5 million receipted in February 2021. Exports to other African countries increased to US$ 50.7 million in March 2021 compared to US$ 41.9 million recorded in February 2021.
According to the report, Uganda’s exports to the Middle East are; Gold, Coffee, Tea, Fish, Flowers, Tobacco and Fruits.
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Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan were the major countries of destination in the region, with a combined market share of 8.2 percent in March 2021 compared to 6.7 percent registered in February 2021.
Exports to Europe decreased to US$ 58.0 million in March 2021 from US$ 64.6 million recorded in February 2021. Exports to Italy, Uganda’s leading country of destination in Europe for the period under review decreased to US$ 12.7 million in March 2021 from US$ 15.1 million registered in February 2021. Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and Spain were also among the leading countries of destination in the region for the period under review.
The Asian region had a market share of 7.1 percent, resulting from revenues worth US$ 29.6 million in March 2021 compared to US$ 24.3 million recorded in February 2021. India, China, Hong Kong and Malaysia were among the leading destinations of Uganda’s exports. Exports destined to North America/Caribbean were worth US$ 5.1 million in March 2021. In particular, these were destined to the United States
