Bunyoro and Tooro sugarcane farmers unite to boost bargaining power
The leadership of the new association was elected on Tuesday during a meeting held at Kolping Hotel in Hoima City
HOIMA, July 16, 2025 –– Sugarcane farmers from the Bunyoro and Tooro subregions have formed a joint body, the Bunyoro Tooro Sugarcane Farmers Association [BUTOS], in a move aimed at strengthening their bargaining power with sugar manufacturers.
The leadership of the new association was elected on Tuesday during a meeting held at Kolping Hotel in Hoima City. The association brings together representatives from five existing farmer organisations across the two western Ugandan regions: Masindi Sugarcane Outgrowers Association Limited [MASGAL]; Bwendero Sugarcane Outgrowers Association; Kyenjojo Sugarcane Farmers Association; Kiryandongo Sugarcane Farmers Association; and Hoima Sugarcane Outgrowers Association.
BUTOS’ newly elected leaders
Patrick Byamukama from MASGAL was elected Chairperson of BUTOS, with Moses Batinire Barwane from the Kyenjojo Sugarcane Farmers Association elected as Vice Chairperson. Other people were elected for the positions of General Secretary, Treasurer, Secretary for Publicity.
Byamukama pledged to unite farmers across the two regions and to advocate for fairer prices from millers.
“We are seeing farmers being paid varying prices by sugar millers even though we are in the same region. We must remain united to strengthen our bargaining position,” he said.
Representation to the Uganda Sugar Industry Stakeholders Council
During the same meeting, Robert Atugonza, Chairperson of MASGAL, was elected as the region’s representative to the Uganda Sugar Industry Stakeholders Council – the new national regulatory body created under the Sugarcane [Amendment] Act, 2023.
Atugonza vowed to represent the farmers’ interests effectively and encouraged greater teamwork among regional farmers.
In a letter dated June 16, 2025, Minister of Trade Francis Mwebesa directed sugarcane associations and cooperatives in the Bunyoro, Central, Busoga, and Northern regions to each nominate one representative to the Council. Details of the nominated representatives are to be submitted by 16 July 2025.
Controversy over dual nominations
However, controversy has arisen following a separate nomination by the Bunyoro Sugarcane Outgrowers Cooperative Union [BUSFACO]. During a meeting held earlier this week at Country Inn in Masindi Town, BUSFACO nominated its Chairperson, Muhamudu Kazimbiraine, to represent the Bunyoro region – despite the minister’s directive allowing only one representative per region, to the Council.
This has led to confusion, as both Atugonza and Kazimbiraine now stand as nominees for the same slot on the national council.
Bunyoro leads Uganda in sugarcane production
A recent study by the Economic Policy Research Centre [EPRC] at Makerere University reveals Bunyoro emerging as Uganda’s leading sugarcane-producing region. The subregion recorded an impressive average yield of 45 metric tonnes per acre, nearly double that of Busoga [24 metric tonnes], and significantly higher than Buganda [27 metric tonnes].
The study also highlighted that Bunyoro achieves these results at lower production costs, spending approximately Shs 17 billion on inputs, compared to Shs 92 billion in Busoga and Shs 37 billion in Buganda.
Uganda’s sugarcane sector has experienced rapid growth over the last two decades, with national production rising from 1.5 million tonnes in 2000 to 5.8 million tonnes in 2020. This surge is largely driven by the expansion of harvested land, which increased from 20,000 hectares in 2005 to 81,000 hectares in 2020.
The growth has also been supported by the proliferation of mills in the Bunyoro region, particularly Kinyara Sugar Limited, which alone has around 7,300 registered outgrowers. Other major factories in the region include Kiryandongo Sugar Limited and Hoima Sugar Limited.
Moses Isoko Kalyegera, the District Commercial Officer, attributed Bunyoro’s rapid rise in sugarcane output to the growing number of processing plants, which continue to attract new farmers to the industry.
https://thecooperator.news/sugarcane-farmers-root-for-national-association/
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