Gov’t buys Shs 759mln sunflower seeds for farmers’ cooperatives in Lango

LIRA – Government through the National Agricultural Advisory Services Secretariat [NAADS] has bought 10,119 kilogrammes of sunflower seeds worth about Shs 759 million for farmers in the selected cooperative societies in Lango Sub-region.

The varieties of sunflower bought include 5,568kgs and 4,551kgs of Hysan and Aguara 5,568kgs, respectively. The seeds are being supplied by Syova Seed [U] Limited, Savannah Seeds Limited, and Blessed Tree Nursery Suppliers, all contracted by NAADS.

The beneficiary farmers’ cooperatives include: Hope Development Initiative Cooperative in Amolatar, Wii-odyek Cooperative Society Limited in Lira district, St. Thomas Cooperative Society Limited in Lira, Aboke Grain Producers Limited in Kole, and Oyam Agro Cooperative Society Limited in Oyam district.

Government contributed the Shs 759mln under the co-funding arrangement where farmers are expected to contribute 30 percent of the total cost of the seeds. They will be buying the seeds from their cooperatives at Shs 21,000 per kilo.

Philip Bosco Asega, an official from the NAADS Secretariat while delivering the sunflower seeds days ago said the beneficiary cooperatives had met the criteria set for the co-funding arrangement.

“All these varieties are going to five cooperative societies. Some cooperatives did not pay for the seeds they got last year, a reason they did not receive the seeds this time round,” Asega said.

Asega said NAADS Secretariat wants farmers to get more yields this season, adding it is the reason they have brought the seeds in time for planting.

‘We are giving at this time because this is the second season in our agricultural sector and more rain is expected since it has just started. I pray that weather becomes kind to all of us so that we are able to have a bumper harvest because these [sunflower seeds] are good varieties,” Asega said.

He further said that the varieties mature within only a period of three months.

“What you need to note about these two hybrid seeds is that they are high-yielding and get ready between 70 to 90 days,” he said.

Moses Mugabirwe, the manager at Savannah Seeds Limited assured farmers about the quality of seeds, saying they have all been tested and found to be good.

“Both the variety of seeds being given to the farmers have been tested by the National Seeds Laboratory,” Mugabirwe said.

The delivery of the sunflower seeds at subsidised prices has caused excitement among farmers’ groups as payment will be done in installments.

Denish Okwera, the general secretary of Erute North Oil Seed Cooperative Society Limited who got 7000kg said other partners were not being fair to the farmers as they were demanding full payment before availing the seeds to the farmers.

“One of the advantages we have is that government through co-funding has been able to give us the quantity of the seeds that we wanted although we have not yet collected the first deposit from the farmers,” Okwera said.

Denis Odyang, the chairperson of Agali Farmers’ Cooperative Society Limited said this was the second time they are getting seeds from the government was optimistic of having bumper harvests than last year if the weather is favourable.

“Last year we got 1000,000kilograms from the 3440kg of seeds that they were given, and now that the seeds have been given to us in time, we expect to get more than 4,400,000kgs on average provided good germination and favorable weather condition,” Odyang said.

On the other hand, Denis Ogwok, the general manager of Wii-odyek Oil Seed Farmers Area Cooperative Enterprise Limited also said the early delivery of the sunflower seeds will enable farmers to plan well for the new season.

Farming is going to be very successful because the prices are reduced and we expect more yields than last year since the seeds have been delivered in time,” Ogwok said.

Ogwok requested to government to also subsidise the prices of milling machines so that oil seed farmers engage in value addition.

“As they increase production of oil seeds, they should know that the cooperative needs to add value to the produce so that they don’t only sell grains but also products such as animal feeds, and oils,” Ogwok said.

Other institutions that used to sell sunflower and other seeds to the farmer’s cooperatives in Lango Sub-region are Ngetta Tropical Holdings, Mukwano Industries and aBi Trust, and Lindred Foundation.

https://thecooperator.news/mp-acen-gives-sunflower-seeds-shs-10mln-to-alebtong-womens-vslas/

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