Oyam cooperative asks govt for maize seeds

OYAM – Okii Oil Seeds Producer and Marketing Cooperative Society Limited in Otwal Sub-county, Oyam district has appealed to the government to provide its farmers with maize seeds for planting this season.

The chairperson of the cooperative, Peter Atim said on Tuesday though they have plowed over 50,000 acres for planting maize, the seeds on the market are expensive.

He said the price of a two-kilogramme sachet of maize seeds is being sold at Shs 40,000-42,000 which many farmers are unable to afford.

He said besides producing oil seeds such as sunflower and soybean, they have added maize and cassava since they have ready market.

He said under Agricultural Cluster Development Project [ACDP], the cooperative acquired cassava grinding mills, a tractor, and a store to boost production.

“With the store in place, this season we want to produce 10,000 tons of maize grains because we also have a ready market,” Atim said.

Last week, Finance Minister Matia Kasaija pledged to provide Shs 4 billion to be spent on procuring seeds for the poor farmers in the country.

Okii Oil Seeds Producer and Marketing Cooperative Society Limited started in 2018 with 120 members and since then it has grown to 470 members.

Atim said the objective of the cooperative is to improve the livelihoods of the cooperative members and farmers in northern Uganda.

https://thecooperator.news/apac-maize-farmers-sacco-alerted-of-counterfeit-seeds-on-market/

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