00:00Rice farmers in Uganda are struggling to get their stock to market stalls.
00:12While rice consumption in Uganda has surged, especially in towns and cities, most of it is imported.
00:20Scientists say imported rice has bigger grains and a good aroma, which consumers prefer.
00:26However, a new home-grown variety is now being released that has those qualities.
00:32It's expected to attract more buyers and reduce the country's reliance on imported rice.
00:38The grain type is similar to super, it's aromatic and it's slightly sticky like super,
00:44and it's hitting the market because the yield is higher, the producer is happy,
00:48and the connection between the producer to the market, to the consumer,
00:52actually the final consumer does not care about perenniality,
00:56but they know they are getting the super in big quantity.
01:00Developed by Uganda's National Agricultural Research Organization with support from Japan,
01:06the rice has already moved beyond experimental plots.
01:10Researchers say the new varieties are designed to close the quality gap that has long-favoured imports.
01:17Traders say those preferences shape what they stock and why imported brands continue to lead sales.
01:26Ugandan rice is substandard because we lack modern machinery for proper grading.
01:31Also, there are lots of stones in our local rice.
01:34That market response is now part of the research process itself.
01:38Farmers, millers and traders are involved in assessing how the rice performs from harvest to plate.
01:45Rice is a lucrative crop which you can invest in and get income in.
01:51Even if it's going to other countries, we know that there's demand
01:56and there's high purchasing ability by neighboring countries.
01:59So as a cereal crop, it's good to invest in as a source of income.
02:04It helps in feeding populations that are large and growing.
02:09If approved, the new varieties could reduce import dependency, raise farmers' incomes,
02:17and strengthen food security at a time when global food prices remain volatile.
02:23With more rice varieties on the lineup for release,
02:26Ugandan rice could once again be popular at market stalls.
02:38According to the
02:54component to pet migrant products,
02:59the number of chicken symptoms awaited capital.
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