Kweyo Growers’ Cooperative To Acquire Grain Sorter

OMORO – Kweyo Growers’ Cooperative Society wants to acquire a grain sorter that can clean fusarium-damaged grains from bulk stocks.

A grain or color sorter is a machine that helps in cleaning dirty, harvested grains by removing grits, grains of other colors, and separates desired and non-desired seeds, as well as guaranteeing weed-free seeds for packing. It is also capable of removing discolored grains and sorting different species of grains.

The cooperative plans to use the grain sorter to add value to grains that have been degraded due to fusarium, inadvertent assortment, and other factors.

Located in Ongako Sub County in Omoro district, the cooperative which has 432 members, has a high-tech peanut butter processor.

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Oceng James, the Manager of Kweyo Growers’ Cooperative Society Limited said the machine will help them sort such stock when brought and clients who want peanut butter mixed with sesame paste.

“Sesame is very difficult to process because it is very difficult to clean dirt from it. So, we are looking at buying a color sorter, to sort sesame from soil, millet etc.,” Oceng said.

Oceng also said when the board approves their request, they will apply for a loan offered as a Covid-19 stimulus package offered to cooperatives by the Uganda government in conjunction with Uganda Development Bank at a low interest rate.

A grain sorter, he said, ranges from between Shs 60-140 million.

“The grain sorter will also be a source of income generation by providing grain sorting services for other people. It is not just in the context of peanuts, but other grains,” he said.

Currently, the cooperative roosts 1000 kilograms of soy beans each month, for a client who comes all the way from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The client then grinds and packs the soy from DRC and sell as baby food.

“This is some of the ways we raise money to pay our staff at the cooperative,” he said.