MASINDI – Cosmas Byaruhanga, the Masindi district LCV Chairperson has embarked on mobilizing sugarcane farmers in the district to form cooperative societies such that they can form a union of sugarcane farmers.
Speaking to theCooperator, Byaruhanga noted that the only way to get a sugar mill from the government is by forming a union which will unite sugarcane farmers.
According to Byaruhanga, there are more than 7000 farmers engaged in sugarcane growing in the entire Masindi district.
“This is a good number to form a strong union. If we are committed to it, we cannot fail to run it. I approached Gen. Salim Sale and asked him to help us get our own sugar factory but he told me we should get organized in a union first. An association may not help us,” said Byaruhanga.
He added that currently four cooperatives have been formed, adding that his target is to form nine cooperatives such that the process of forming a union can start.
“There are cooperatives that had been formed in 1970s by the people who were engaged in cane growing by that time. We are tracing their registration numbers in the Ministry of Trade Industry and Cooperatives. When we find them, we will rejuvenate them” Byaruhanga added.
Byaruhanga called upon the sugarcane farmers to embrace the already formed cooperatives by being active members buying shares.
“I am optimistic that we can benefit from the sugar cane we are growing if we become one and get our own factory,” said Byaruhanga.
Some of the cooperatives which have been formed include; Masindi Sugarcane Farmers Cooperative, Kyema Sugarcane Growers Cooperative Limited, Kyabaswa Sugarcane Growers Cooperative Limited, Masindi Sugarcane Growers and Processors Cooperative Limited among others.
Masindi sugarcane farmers have been complaining of the low prices by the companies which buy cane from them, failure to harvest the cane in time, among other challenges.
Byaruhanga says, all the challenges can be addressed if the farmers are organized in a union noting that if the farmers are organized and go to the government, they can be listened to.
“My dream is that by the time my political term expires; I should have achieved this goal. If sugarcane farmers have achieved it in Busoga region, why not us in Masindi?” asked Byaruhanga.
Some of the companies that sugarcane farmers in Masindi supply sugar to include; Kinyara Sugar Limited, Hoima Sugar Limited, Bwendero Sugar Company, Kyenjojo Sugar Limited and Kiryandondo Sugar Limited.
When theCooperator reached Kenneth Kiiza Nyendwoha, the Member of Parliament for Bujenje county, he said that if the farmers want to benefit from sugarcane growing business, they need to have one voice.
“Sugarcane is one of the leading income generating activities in Masindi. I am optimistic that if we unite and have a common goal, we can achieve more. I however advise the farmers to have other alternative income generating activities since sugarcane takes long time to be harvested,” advised Nyendwoha.
Other farmers whom theCooperator spoke to also welcomed the idea saying that it’s long over due.
Background
During his inauguration in May this year, Byaruhanga promised to use his second term as the Masindi district Chairperson to get farmers in all sectors organized into cooperatives, especially the sugarcane farmers.
“We are going to mobilise farmers to organize themselves into cooperatives because when they’re in cooperatives, they will understand each other. This will also help them have a bargaining ground to demand what’s due to them,” said Byaruhanga, who also said he is serving his last term as LCV Chairperson.
“Sugarcane is the backbone of Masindi. It pumps more than Shs 3 billion in the district in a year. All the developments you are seeing in Masindi are because of sugar,” he added.
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