The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Busia, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Traders have asked the government to first construct a general market at the Busia border export zone to create a ready market within for their farm products.
The 800 billion shillings project is being constructed in phases for a period of 7 years on 173 acre piece of land in Masafu town council.
The project is funded by the European Union through African Development Bank, under the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa-COMESA through the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.
According to the plan, the market will comprise warehouses, cottage industries, assorted value addition plants, processing centers, grain milling and cylosses, export zone stalls, banks, forex bureaus, space for clearing agents firms and offices of Uganda Revenue Authority.
Stephen Ojuku, a resident of Bukalikha village says that they take their farm products into neighboring Kenya to look for a good market, but which is costly in terms of transport and risk having their goods impounded by URA. They want the government to first construct a general market to enable them to sell their farm products at a good price so that they can make a profit within Busia.
Eunice Hadudu, another resident says that they make losses in the harvest season by selling their farm products to retail traders at a lower price compared to what they incurred during the planting period.
Moses Nyegenye, the chairman of Masafu-Masinya poultry farmers association says that they have not benefited from their chicken project due to lack of good market.
Stephen Mugeni Wasike, the Busia district L.C.V chairman says that they have offered a 100-acre piece of land allocated for the market to the Uganda Free Zone Authority who are going to construct both agro-processing and other export oriented factories and construction will start soon.
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