Amolatar authorities reject soybean seed delivery over quality concerns
The officials said samples from the consignment appeared to be grain rather than certified planting seed, raising concerns about labelling, age and the expected germination rate
AMOLATAR, October 12, 2026 — Amolatar district officials, led by Chief Administrative Officer Rhoda Oroma, have rejected a consignment of soybean seeds supplied to farmers under a government agricultural programme over concerns about their quality.
The officials said samples from the consignment appeared to be grain rather than certified planting seed, raising concerns about labelling, age and the expected germination rate.
The consignment was delivered by Jumino Supply Limited to the district headquarters last Wednesday. Under the programme, government covers 80 percent of the cost of agricultural inputs, while participating farmers contribute the remaining 20 percent.
Other supplies delivered, including wheelbarrows, tarpaulins, spray pumps and rhizobia, were accepted without reported concerns.
Oroma said the district would not allow farmers to receive substandard inputs, particularly when they were contributing towards the cost.
“Our priority as the Government is to ensure that farmers receive inputs of the right quality. Farmers contribute 20 percent of the cost, and they know what quality of inputs they expect. They have rejected these soybean supplies because what has been delivered appears to be grain rather than seed. We cannot tolerate that,” Oroma said.
She declined to approve payment to the supplier, arguing that the delivery did not meet the farmers’ requirements and that approving it could expose her to accountability issues.
“As Chief Administrative Officer, I cannot certify a delivery that does not meet the required standards, especially when the farmers themselves are dissatisfied. I will only approve payment when the correct inputs have been supplied. There can be no compromise. Grain and planting seed are not the same, and their prices differ. Contractors must supply exactly what they are contracted to deliver,” she said.
Oroma directed the district’s technical team to document the rejection and urged the supplier to replace the consignment with soybean seeds that meet the required specifications.
She said poor-quality agricultural inputs undermine efforts to improve farmers’ livelihoods and lift households out of poverty.
“This is how our farmers have continued to be cheated, making it difficult for them to escape poverty. I have directed the technical team to prepare a report documenting the rejection and to ensure that the supplier delivers the right quality of inputs. I am expected to recommend payment to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, but I will not sign off on a delivery that has not been accepted,” she said.
Samuel Dulson Okello, the district focal point person for the Uganda Climate Smart Agricultural Transformation Project, said farmers would not receive the soybean seeds until the quality concerns had been addressed.
“When I asked the Senior Agricultural Officer to inspect the soybean seeds, he confirmed that the other supplies were acceptable but raised concerns about the quality of the seeds. We have therefore asked the supplier to take back the consignment, which our technical officer believes is grain rather than planting seed,” Okello said.
Tonny Oryem, the district’s Senior Agricultural Officer and Crop Subject Matter Specialist, said the consignment lacked the labelling expected of certified seeds and appeared to have been stored for too long, potentially affecting its germination rate.
“I examined the packaging and found that the bags did not have the labels expected on certified seeds. The samples also appeared to be old. Soybean and other oilseed varieties can have poor germination rates when stored for too long. Based on what I observed, the material supplied appears to be grain rather than planting seed,” Oryem said.
Sarah Tyan, the Assistant Resident District Commissioner of Amolatar, backed the rejection, saying the contractor should supply inputs that meet the required specifications.
“If the material supplied does not meet the required specifications, we will not accept it. The contractor must deliver the right inputs for the farmers because this programme is intended to help fight poverty,” Tyan said.
Mark Yusuf Alega, who represented Jumino Supply Limited, said the company would take back the rejected consignment for verification and arrange for an appropriate replacement.
“The officials have rejected the consignment because of concerns that the material may be grain rather than seed. We will take it back for verification and ensure that the farmers receive the appropriate supplies,” Alega said.
He said the consignment comprised about three tonnes of soybean material intended for four farmer groups, each with 30 members.
Denis Omeri, chairperson of Anamido Farmers’ Cooperative, said the supplied material did not meet the farmers’ expectations, as they had been promised foundation soybean seed.
“We were told that we would receive foundation soybean seed, but what I have seen appears to be ordinary grain. Such material may fail to germinate properly. We usually buy foundation seed from Dr Tonny Obua of Makerere University, and the quality is always evident. This consignment does not meet the standard we expected,” Omeri said.
The Uganda Climate Smart Agricultural Transformation Project is supporting farmers with agricultural inputs, including soybean seed, to improve productivity and strengthen their resilience to the effects of erratic weather patterns.
Buy your copy of thecooperator magazine from one of our country-wide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news
