Bunyoro Sugarcane Farmers Cooperative Union Ltd has written a “protest letter” to the Ministry of Trade, Industries and Cooperatives (MTIC) about the closure of a weighbridge in Masindi.
Five cooperative societies formed the Union on June 24, 2022.
These include Masindi Sugarcane Farmers’ Cooperative Society Limited, Masindi Sugarcane Growers and Processor Cooperative Society Limited; Kyema Sugarcane Grower’s Cooperative Society Limited; Kyabaswa Sugarcane Farmers’ Cooperative Society Limited and Eziragaine Sugarcane Farmers’ Cooperative Society Limited.
At a press conference in Masindi on Wednesday, Mahmoud G.A Kazimbiraine, chairman of Bunyoro Sugarcane Farmers’ Cooperative Union Ltd, stated that the formation was in response to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s call for all sugarcane out growers to form cooperatives so that the government could assist them in adding value to their produce.
According to Mahmoud, the President made the call in 2014 while on a tour of the Busoga region. “He even promised to assist cooperatives of out growers to build a processing factory. Today the number of those societies in the union has reached 9 with the addition of: Kibwooma Sugarcane Farmers’ Cooperative Society Limited, Kikuube Sugarcane Farmers’ Cooperative Society Limited; Bwijanga Coffee Farmers’ Cooperative Society Limited and Gukwatemanzi Cooperative Society Limited.”
In his letter to the ministry, Chairman Mahmoud stated that the formation of sugarcane farmers’ cooperatives is not a new innovation in Bunyoro, as the first sugarcane cooperative societies were formed in 1972 and 1973.
“None of those societies formed then are still on the register’s books but went dormant because of the wars that rampaged our country up to 1986,” he said.
He stated that when President Museveni made the call to farmers to form cooperatives, “Busoga region moved very fast and formed many societies which have now formed two unions: Greater Busoga Cooperative Union and Busoga Cooperative Union.”
“They even got transport subsidy from government to transport their cane to Atiak Sugar Factory. The President made this call at the height of arguments between farmers and millers. Farmers were agitating for better prices for sugarcane and better services to them while the millers were claiming to be making loses,” Mahmoud added.
In the same letter, Mahmoud noted that after President Museveni’s pledge, he supported Kinyara to acquire 65 square miles of land at the former Kinyana ranch in Masindi which they have now developed into a sugarcane estate. “This is more they can mill with their present milling capacity.”
He also revealed that the President is yet to fulfil his pledge to the farmers. “We heard that Busoga had been given two factories for the farmers. It is now over five years but the factories are nowhere to be seen. For us in Bunyoro, licenses are given to establish sugar mills but they get revoked as soon as they are issued.”
Adding value
To add value to their cane, Mahmoud said they have thought of first establishing the weight of sugarcane their produce, by establishing weigh bridges so that every farmer can know the weight of his or her produce. “It is agreed that Kinyara has a weigh bridge where we can weigh our cane. However, this bridge is inside the factory and the space available is very small.”
He added that it cannot accommodate all the farmers’ cane and estate cane which numbers over 400 trucks per day. Kinyara, he said, does not allow farmer a chance to see his or her truck being weighed, adding that weigh bridge receipt are given to farmers after a month or so.
“The farmer cannot be sure that the information is correct. This is why it is necessary for the farmer to ascertain his cane’s weight from another source and hence the weighbridges owned by the Union.”
Mahmoud further informed the Ministry that Kinyara Sugar Limited are alleging that these weighbridges are helping people to steal their cane. He calls it “just a mere allegation” with no concrete proof to that effect. The chairman, however, does not deny stealing claims. “If it has happened, it cannot be attributed to the bridges because at the bridge, we record the particular of the farmer and those of the driver who brings the cane.”
“About the theft of cane, it is unfortunate that Kinyara itself practices it openly with impunity being supported by the police. This has happened to me personally and if you want me to prove it, I am ready right now. I am aware that Kinyara is using this excuse to help it fight competition from fellow millers, we don’t want to be used as a punch bag in this fight. Both our weigh bridges are calibrated and verified and licensed by UNBS which is a department of this ministry,” he told the ministry.
He added: “All we want from the ministry of trade is you adhere to policy of a liberalized economy and trade. We as farmers this policy should also benefit us…. this tendency of government to think that for a person or company to be regarded as an investor he or she must have come from outside the country but in the sugarcane industry, the local person who grows sugarcane is a very crucial investor,” stated chairman Mahmoud.
In Masindi, he revealed that out growers of Kinyara have fields totaling to 32,000 hectares which provides 72% of canes crushed by Kinyara Sugar Factory.
Kinyara did not respond to a request for comment from tndNews on Friday.
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