Kayunga sugarcane growers ask for factory

Sugarcane outgrowers in Kayunga District are demanding the construction of a sugar factory in their area to increase their income.

The farmers under the Kayunga Sugarcane Out-Growers Cooperative Society claim that transporting their cane from Kayunga to factories that are far away such as Sugar Corporation of Uganda Ltd (Scoul), and Kakira Sugar Works Ltd, has deprived them of other benefits from the crop.

“We call upon big sugar cane companies to think about constructing a sugar factory in this area so that our people can get jobs and other benefits like infrastructure development such as schools and roads,”

Mr Ronald Kayondo, the association chairperson, said during the opening of a sugarcane weigh bridge in Mataba Village, Kayunga Sub-county at the weekend.

The weigh bridge, constructed by Scoul, will reduce the cost of transportation the farmers have been incurring by going to the Lugazi-based factor.

According to Mr Krishnan Bala, the Scoul senior manager in-charge of out-growers, Scoul will meet the transport cost of the cane from the weigh bridge to Lugazi.

Cost reduction

“After weighing the cane, it will be transported to Scoul and we shall meet half (Shs18,000)  per tonne of the transport cost to Lugazi and the farmer will no longer wait at the factory to weigh his cane,”  Mr Bala said.

“This will cut the time transporters have been taking as they wait to weigh their cane at the factory,” he added.

Mr Bala urged farmers to increase their cane yields through use of proper agronomical practices such as fertilizer application and proper spacing and weeding.

He said cane prices will increase in the near future and urged the growers to increase on the acreage of the crop.

Last September,  the district speaker, Mr Saleh Bulinsoni, tasked the sugar manufacturing companies to give back to the community

“It is a pity that communities that grow sugarcane are the most poor in the country. Sugar companies should think about giving back to such communities in form of provision of health and education services,” Mr Bulinsoni said.

He also called on Scoul and GM Sugar Ltd to offer employment opportunities to educated locals.
Mr Seerangan Balusamy, the Scoul general manager plantations, promised to address concerns of communities where they operate.

Sugar Corporation of Uganda Ltd, Kakira Sugar Works Ltd, and GM Sugar Ltd own vast sugarcane plantations in Bbaale and Galilaaya sub-counties.

In 2013, President Museveni donated a Shs1b soap and cooking oil factory to create jobs for youth in Kayunga District. 

However, the factory at Bukolooto Trading Centre, which is part of the Kayunga Industrial Development Park Initiative, has since 2014 remained abandoned while trucks and a tractor, which were to be used to transport raw materials and finished products  and from the factory ,are now hired out to cattle traders and farmers .