The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | Prossy Nansubuga | The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga during plenary urged government through the Ministries of Trade and Finance to intervene in the plight of sugarcane farmers in Busoga whose economies are dilapidating due to lack of buyers.
According to MP Ntende Robert of Mayuge district, farmers now live in poverty and great fear since they acquired loans to fund plantations yet over 7.5 million tonnes of sugarcane are not sold as millers prefer to process their own cane.
The millers further claim to have excess sugar, that’s why they can’t buy off the farmer’s sugarcane.
Ntende said that this issue has resulted into farmers in Busoga losing property like land and houses, a case in point, 7 to 10 houses in Busoga villages are now labeled “for sale.”
“The outgrowers farm sugarcane out of loans, they pick money from microfinance institutions and village Saccos but they are now stranded because millers in Busoga sub-region have refused to buy burnt cane from them. I therefore urge the Ministries of Trade and Finance to intervene and bail out our farmers,” he said.
Last year, President Museveni while meeting Busoga farmers promised to support them by establishing their own mill through funding from the Uganda Development Corporation (UDC).
However according to Kadaga, there hasn’t been any instructions, verbal or written addressed to UDC from the president in regards to helping out farmers, and there’s no Sugar Board as the sugar act hasn’t been implemented yet, aggravating the problems of farmers in Busoga.
Regardless, the Speaker ruled this issue by asking the Minister of Trade to meet with the millers and ask them to suspend crashing their own cane and buy that of farmers.
The minister is expected to give an update about the issue to Parliament on Tuesday, next week.
