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Amolatar, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Amolatar district officials have rejected 144 bags of cassava cuttings due to poor quality.
The cuttings were delivered by a domestic supplier under the Operation Wealth Creation program.
Tony Opio, a supplier from Nalubwoyu sub county delivered the 144 bags of cassava cuttings to the district headquarters. The samples were inspected by the district leaders who confirmed that they could not be received for planting. Some bags delivered contained cassava leaves instead of the required cuttings.
The supplies were poorly packed contrary to the procurement policy that requires every supplier to cut the stems into pieces. The cuttings were also tiny and if cut, would not be commensurate to the minimum requirement of at least 600 cuttings per bag, on top of it being delivered late.
Geoffrey Ocen, the Amolatar LCV chairperson says that the supplier should be blacklisted from supplying any agricultural input in the district.
Ocen also warned suppliers against delivering planting materials late saying with the unstable weather conditions being experienced in the district, such inputs should be brought in the first planting season to avoid uncertainty by farmers.
Ssimba Angol, the district OWC coordinator wondered why the contracted supplier would not deliver as per the contract. He says the poor quality inputs result in losses on farmers.
The district is expected to receive additional 598 bags of cassava cuttings which will be distributed to 680 farmers under their different groups in the sub-counties of Muntu, Agikdak, Agwingiri and Nalubwoyo.
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