Overview:
The government's plan is expected to benefit over 100,000 sugarcane farmers and related industries, solidifying Uganda's position as a key player in the regional sugar market.
KAMPALA, UGANDA – In a bid to revitalize the sugarcane industry and protect farmers from fluctuating prices, the Ugandan government has unveiled plans to support value addition initiatives.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja announced the government’s commitment to empowering sugarcane farmers through cooperatives, enabling them to produce ethanol, paper, and fertilizers from sugarcane. This move aims to reduce reliance on raw sugarcane sales and increase farmers’ earnings.
“The registration of these farmers will enable them to receive government support through the Parish Development Model, extension services from the Ministry of Agriculture, joint marketing of cane, and self-regulation,” said Nabbanja.
Hon. Kenneth Kiiza, Independent MP for Bujenje County, had raised concerns about low sugarcane prices, prompting the Prime Minister’s response.
The decline in sugarcane prices, Nabbanja explained, is attributable to factors such as farmers growing sugarcane without prior arrangements with millers and negative regional trade practices. “The imported sugar from global leading producers such as Brazil and India is much cheaper and renders Uganda’s sugar uncompetitive in the East African Community market. When there are external forces that distort the market, the prices drop,” she added.
The government’s plan is expected to benefit over 100,000 sugarcane farmers and related industries, solidifying Uganda’s position as a key player in the regional sugar market.
With the government’s backing, Uganda’s sugarcane sector is poised for transformation, promising a sweeter future for farmers and the economy.