Uganda gives contract to 171 nursery operators for supplying cashew nut seedlings

Uganda's Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries have signed a memorandum with 171 nursery operators for the supply over 300,000 cashew nut seedlings, according to a media report by PLMDaily.

The seedlings will be provided to the farmers in 42 districts of Uganda, including districts in the sub-regions of Karamoja, Teso, Lango, Acholi, West Nile, Parts of Central and South Western Uganda.

Signing the memorandum in Kampala on March 11, Henry Aggrey Bagiire, the Minister of State for Agriculture said that the partnership is expected to increase the volume of cashew nut produced for local, regional and international markets.

Further, Bagiire said that it can also create jobs, reduce the effects of climate change and increase foreign exchange earnings.

On October 16, 2017, President Yoweri Museveni has directed the Ministry of Agriculture to integrate cashew nut among the priority products and to collaborate with Uganda Cashewnut and Trees Limited (UCTL) for the development of cashew nut value chain in Uganda.

Cashew nut is a drought-resistant tree crop. It grows best in dry areas having temperatures above 28-degree Celcius and having well-drained deep sandy loam soils with high textural porosity.

Cashew is grown across the world including in countries such as Mexico, Brazil, India, Philippines and other African countries like Nigeria, Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, and others.