The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
THIS WEEK: War over sugar factories
A row is brewing between sugar cane out growers and district leaders over a new directive by President Museveni ordering the latter not to grant any license to new sugar factories unless there is a sufficient supply of sugarcane.
The President also directed that for a new sugar factory to be established anywhere, it must be at least 50km away from an already existing one, a move that out growers have strongly contested.
Museveni argued that failure to follow the above guidelines is partly to blame for the skyrocketing sugar prices. Out growers in Kayunga and Buikwe say the directive is unfair because it favours well to do sugar producers and not the ones trying to come in.
About three new sugar factories have opened up in the areas of Kayunga and Buikwe. The out growers say the directive puts the new sugar factories out of business, and by extension the out growers. Museveni warned that police would step in to protect the territorial integrity of sugar factories if his directive is not heeded.
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