COMPILATION OF DISTRIBUTIVE TRADE STATISTICS IN UGANDA May

COMPILATION OF DISTRIBUTIVE TRADE STATISTICS IN UGANDA May 29 th 2008 Anguyo William

Presentation • • • Introduction Importance of Distributive trade statistics Source of Distributive Statistics. Data collection Methodology. Statistical Units Data Items Challenges Dissemination Future Plan Conclusion

Introduction • Distributive Trade Covers – Wholesale Trade. – Retail Sales and – Repair and sales of Vehicles and Motor cycles.

Importance of Distributive Trade Statistics Ø Serves as an input data for National Accounts. The Sector maintained an average contribution to GDP of approximately: – 11. 1% 2005/2006 FY – 11. 4% in 2006/2007 FY – 12. 4% in 2007/2008 FY Ø Provides employment data for labour market Ø The statistics provide indicator such as value added to measure the net output of this sector. Ø Provide sample frame for other economic Surveys

Sources of Distributive Trade Statistics • In Uganda up to now, there has been no system of regular statistics specifically on the distributive trade sector. However, information about the sector has been collected from the following sources: Ø Economic Surveys. Ø Administrative data from URA, Registrar General’s Department etc.

Back ground of Economic surveys as a sources of Distributive trade statistics • Uganda has conducted economic surveys since the 1960. The first know as the survey of industrial production was conducted in 1964/65 with 1963 as reference year. • Subsequent surveys were conducted annually for 1964 to 1971(except for 1970) covering Mining and Quarrying, Manufacturing, construction and electricity but did not cover distributive trade

Back ground (Cont) • For the period 1972 to 1988 no successful surveys similar to those in the fore going out line were conducted. Until 1989 when Census of Business Establishment was carried. • The 2000/2001 economic survey called Uganda Business Inquiry was the tenth survey conducted. • The 1989 and 2000/2001 economic surveys conducted covered distributive trade sector.

Data Collection Methodology • The data collection was mainly done by personal interviews using pre-designed questionnaires. – The questionnaires were categorized into two thus: – For the Formal Sector ( Businesses with Final Accounts ) – For the Informal Sector, (Businesses without Final Accounts) • The telephone method was only used to verify some data provided by the establishments • Interviewers were trained to extract data from the Final Accounts • Interviewers were deployed in teams of 6 each with a team leader. • They were also responsible for the coding of the

Data Collection Methodology, Cont • More data was collected from the Household based enterprises targeting the informal businesses at the HH • This was done by administering predesigned questionnaires to sampled households.

Data Items Data was collected from the following items: § Identification Particulars such as Name of the businesses, their addresses, location etc § Main and secondary activities § Employment and Costs of Staff (wages & salaries, pension payments in kind etc) § Current and Fixed Assets § Purchase of goods and services and other costs including bad debts etc § Total Sales and Other incomes.

2000/2001(UBI)Indicators • Retail Trade had the highest Value Added of 60 percent, Gross Output 61 percent; and employed more persons 74 Percent; than other sub sectors in distributive trade. • Although Wholesale Trade had less businesses, it had more Value Added and Gross Output than the Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles.

Some Indicators Computed from the 2000/2001 UBI Trade Sector Businesses Employment Number Value Added Gross Output , 000(Shs) Retail Trade Wholesale Trade Repair of Motorvehicles and Motor-cycles Total 98, 878 161, 405 444, 011 714, 376 3, 302 21, 143 165, 846 267, 907 5, 306 36, 101 125, 082 189, 143 107, 486 218, 649 734, 939 1, 171, 426

Dissemination • • The dissemination policy is yet to be in place. However the results of previous surveys were disseminated to the stake holders and general public Through: Power point presentation Print and Sending hard copies of the Reports to the stakeholders and Libraries. Press Release Posting soft copies to UBOS web site.

Statistical Units The statistical units used for previous surveys Included: Ø Retail and Whole sale out lets Ø Garage out lets for motor vehicle and motor cycles Ø Departmental stores Ø Stalls Ø Gasoline etc, as specified in the ISIC

Challenges faced in conducting the Previous surveys: § Lack of co-operation from Businesses § Lack of Proper records on the side of businesses. § Reluctance in giving required data due to fear of taxes § Lack of funds to conduct more frequent economic surveys.

Challenges(cont) • Short operational period of the business, some times only 6 months. • Covering both household based and nonhousehold based business.

Future Plans • Conduct another round of Uganda Business Inquiry, covering the trade sector • Conduct Annual Business Inquiry after every two(2) years. • Compute short time indices for distributive trade on quarterly basis if funding secured.

Conclusion Although Distributive Trade Statistics is a difficulty area to handle, we managed to collect the required data and computer indicators in 1989 and 2000/2001 economic survey. We are yet to compile indices of Distributive Trade. Thanks