APAC – In addition to other crops, members of Abulomogo Maize Farmers’ SACCO in Apac district have embraced the growing of soybeans to boost their savings and fight household poverty.
Abulomogo Maize Farmers’ SACCO, formerly called Arocha Farmers’ Group, was formed in 2018. The SACCO, which is located in Kidilani parish, Chegere Sub-county in Apac district has 2,500 members.
For the last four years, the SACCO members had been growing maize and sunflower but the trend has changed due to among other factors, lower prices of maize and sunflower compared to soybeans.
For instance, a kilogramme of soybeans goes for between Shs 3,000 and Shs 5,000 while maize and sunflower prices are unpredictable, and range between Shs 500 and Shs 1,500 per kilogramme.
Ambrose Okori, a resident of Awiri trading centre and a member of this SACCO says he abandoned maize growing because it is labour intensive and less profitable compared to soybeans.
“In the previous season, I harvested 1,000 kilogrammes of soya beans and earned Shs 5 million. If I had planted maize, I would not have fetched Shs 1mln. Maize growing is just a waste of time and resources,” he said.
Another SACCO member Lilly Obaro said she earned Shs 6.5mln after harvesting and selling 1.3 tonnes of soybeans in the previous season.
“I don’t regret embracing soybean cultivation because if I had planted maize, I wouldn’t have got that money,” she said.
Nelson Adeka, the Abulomogo SACCO chairperson says the resolution to switch to soybeans was made during the 2022 annual general meeting [AGM]. “The prices of maize and sunflower has been declining, so members agreed during the last year’s AGM that we try soybeans,” he said.
“The cultivation of soybeans will boost member’s savings and drive people out of poverty. In the previous season we harvested 9 tons of soybeans and we hope for higher yields this season running,” he added.
https://thecooperator.news/adjumani-farmers-decry-low-prices-of-soybeans-urged-to-form-cooperatives/
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