Busoga sugarcane farmers to set up sugar factories
One of the members Luuka District Sugarcane Growers explains to Speaker Kadaga (C) how they make energy efficient briquettes from sugarcane wastes. PHOTO BY SAM CALEB OPIO
KAMULI-Sugarcane growers in Busoga region have asked the Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga to help them set up sugar processing factories to overcome the existing exploitation at the hands of millers and other giant sugar processors.
While delivering their plight to the Speaker, during the launch of sugarcane cottage processing and value addition at Kitayunjwa Sub-county Kamuli District, on Sunday, the growers cried foul that the drafters of the Sugarcane Bill entrenched the slave mentality.
“We are condemned to slavery as sugarcane casual labourers since the Sugarcane Bill was sponsored by millers,” Mr Allan Tacca, one of the petitioners said.
Mr Tacca, the chairperson Luuka District Sugarcane Growers, who presented the petition to Ms Kadaga said the growers’ unsustainable short term solution is using rudimentary value addition technologies in their cottages.
He said that local processing will cut transport costs, queuing at factories to deliver the cane and make farmers earn substantial profit from sugarcane.
Ms Kadaga, who is the Kamuli Woman Member of Parliament, vowed to support sugarcane growers in Busoga to add value to their cane and make their business profitable.
“We are going to handle the sugarcane issues and not allow them [millers] undermine and exploit us using our fellow Basoga,” she said.
Busoga Kingdom prime minister, Dr Joseph Muvawala said they will take on sugarcane companies that are blocking cane growers from making sugarcane juice and other products.
He said the kingdom is ready to fund feasibility studies on how the farmers can effectively start processing sugar.
Mr Isa Budhugo, the Busoga Sugarcane Growers Association chairperson, said that the region has 26,500 registered sugarcane farmers who supply over 5 million tons of unprocessed cane every month, to five sugar companies such as GM, Mayuge Sugar, Kaliro Sugar, Kamuli Sugar and Kakira Sugar.
He said that if they are supported, they have the capacity to process sugar.
