Opinion
AGOA Is More Than Just Textiles
Lastly, Uganda’s strategy makes mention of sub-sectors like coffee, fish, crafts, cut flowers, tea, fruits and vegetables as areas of focus. However, it also included dairy and dairy products, which like cotton, are not admissible under AGOA. Here, I thought that maybe, this was Uganda’s trade wish list. Then, it occurred to me that the strategy should have given us their impression and understanding of the U.S. market and how we can beat the current supply-side constraints and challenges therein.
I am suddenly nostalgic for the good ole Lint Marketing Board and Coffee Marketing Board days. In the past, these two bodies were on top of things – treating both coffee and cotton like the national security cash crops they really were and still are – and could be. Perhaps, AGOA will get us back to the future and a time when Uganda’s cash crops were king.
