The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) provides duty-free access to the U.S. market for over 6,000 products. This guide outlines the step-by-step process that Ugandan businesses should take to export to the United States of America (U.S.) through AGOA. It provides additional information on the export of four high-demand, high-value sectors, namely coffee, cut flowers, fish, and textiles and apparel.

Although exporting can be a challenging process, it can also be profitable if the individual or company successfully complies with the steps. Exporters must follow two sets of requirements:

• Ugandan laws and regulations that govern the export process, and
• Laws and regulations that govern the destination country’s imports, in this case, the U.S.

Regulations also vary according to the product being exported; exporters must research to ensure that their product meets the necessary requirements for export. This guide assumes that the exporter or potential exporter has already conducted the necessary market research, and is ready to export. Before proceeding, exporters must identify the correct tariff code and its eligibility for duty-free export under AGOA. Exporters should familiarize themselves with U.S. industry standards and product specific regulations that may require additional documentation and procedures. Before proceeding, exporters must identify the correct tariff code and its eligibility for duty-free export under AGOA. This status can be established by referring to www.agoa.info/about-agoa/products.html(link is external). Insert the product name, search for the correct tariff code and confirm its AGOA status, denoted by the letter “D” in the AGOA indicator column. Exporters should familiarize themselves with U.S. industry standards and productspecific regulations that may require additional documentation and procedures.