Ugandan Airlines route furthers country’s export push as growers level up to access international markets
Uganda has relaunched direct flights to the UK in a move expected to increase fresh produce exports to Britain.
The new Ugandan Airlines route from Entebbe Airport near Kampala to London Gatwick will run four days a week, with total capacity for passengers as well as 25 tonnes of goods per flight.
The new service officially began on 18 May, providing cargo capacity for a range of fresh produce, not least bananas, avocados, chillies, fine beans, sweet potatoes, and matoke (plantain).
Avocados, in particular, have been earmarked as an important growth area for the Ugandan fresh produce industry. And Agricado Farms, who FPJ interviewed on a visit to the East African nation in 2023, is one producer leading the charge.
The new air route will be served by the Airbus A330-800neo, reinstating direct flights to the UK after British Airways scrapped its service to Entebbe back in 2015.
The lack of a direct air link has limited trade between the two countries in the past 10 years, with goods instead having to be airfreighted via Brussels.
Brenda Opus from Uganda’s Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID), told FPJ that transit delays on this route have been problematic, leading to fresh produce losses and quality issues.
In a bid to increase food exports to the UK and other international markets, the Ugandan government set up a Food and Agricultural Regulatory Authority in 2024, to boost food safety standards and quality assurance and strengthen the country’s export capabilities.
The new organisation provides phytosanitary education to Ugandan growers, supporting more producers to obtain the certifications needed to access lucrative international markets.
Opus noted that since 2024, Uganda has doubled its number of GAP-certified fruit and vegetable producers from five to 10, with exporters investing in modern packhouses thanks to support from a new government fund. It provides revolving loans to fresh produce companies that they would be unable to access from commercial banks.
In addition, a 1,200m2 shared packing and cold storage facility courtesy of Fresh Handling Ltd (FHL) and CT-Technologies is due for completion at Entebbe Airport in Q2 2025, with capacity for 200 pallets.
“Uganda has more produce than it can supply to this market; we are more compliant; we have had the opportunity to teach our farmers; and we have provided funding to companies to help them export to the UK,” PACEID’s Matthew Bagonza told FPJ. “Many things have been introduced to strengthen trade between the two countries.”
As well as the Gatwick air route, Opus explained that Uganda has successfully begun trial shipments of avocados to Spain via the Port of Mombasa.
As reported by FPJ in 2023, the Ugandan government set out to boost exports in wide range of industries post-Covid to drive economic growth and recover the 300,000 jobs estimated to have been lost during pandemic lockdowns. As well as fresh produce, target industries include coffee, sugar, grains, poultry, beef and others.
PACEID was set up in 2022 to advise President Yoweri Museveni on ways to address strategic and operational bottlenecks that stop Uganda fully realising its industrial and export potential. Measures include working with trade representatives, investing in better infrastructure, and improving logistics.
Since PACEID was established, Uganda has doubled its total annual export value from $4.2bn to $8.5bn – an increase that Opus puts down to government support with training, certification, funding.
