Uganda: Desert Locust Invasion Could Cost Country $218M
March 3, 2020
4:19 pm
Kampala, Uganda — Uganda risks losing up to Shs 800bn (US$218.3 million) in export revenue if the desert locusts are not halted in the coming weeks, according to the agriculture ministry.
East Africa’s third largest economy earns billions of shillings from maize, cotton, coffee, fruits, vegetables and simsim exports. In 2018, Uganda earned US$ 106.8 million in maize exports, followed with cotton (US$ 44.3 million), fruits and vegetables (US$ 40.6 million) and simsim (US$ 26.6 million).
Vincent Ssempijja, the agriculture minister said on Feb.25 that Uganda is at risk of incurring more losses if locusts decimate a dozen crops that
