Kenyan farmers protest discounted ‘Ugandan’ poultry
Poultry farmers in Kenya want the government to impose taxes on products from Uganda to create a level playing field and protect the industry from dumping.
In December last year, Kenya protested levies charged on poultry products exported to Uganda, but no measures have been taken to address the uneven trade that is contrary to the principles of the East Africa Community Common Markets protocol.
In a letter addressed to Livestock Principal Secretary Harry Kimutai, the Kenya Poultry Breeders Association (KPBA) claims some of the are imports from the US and Turkey and repackaged in Uganda as the country of origin.
“We hereby urge the government to consider the plight of Kenyan farmers, employees and the economy as a whole by restricting chicken imports from Uganda, as this is going to destabilise the industry,” said KPBA chair Humphrey Mbugua.
Uganda has imposed a cumulative 25 per cent duty on Kenyan poultry products—18 per cent VAT, six per cent withholding tax and one per cent road levy. Export products from Uganda enter Kenya duty free.
Last June, Kenya lifted a ban on poultry products from Kampala.
