Sugarcane Farmers Demand Factory

The 1^st Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of East African Affairs in Uganda and Woman Member of Parliament for Kamuli district  Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga held a consultative meeting with the Busoga Sugarcane Growers Association in a bid to finalise discussions on setting up sugar factories in the region. A meeting that saw the Minister of Finance and economic development in attendance, Hon. Matia Kasaija , unanimously agreed that two sugar cane factories be setup with the first one in Luuka district and the other in Buyende district  without cost sharing from farmers. Hon. Matia kasaija agreed with the members and urged members of Parliament present from Busoga region to have one voice when he tables for a supplementary budget in parliament.

PREAMBLE

Earlier on in 2020, KAMULI-Sugarcane growers in Busoga region asked the previous Speaker of Parliament of Uganda now Minister of East African Community Affairs in Uganda Rt. Hon Rebecca Kadaga to help them set up sugar processing factories to overcome the existing exploitation at the hands of millers and other giant sugar processors.

Uganda is now a surplus producer of sugar. Ministry of Trade statistics show that Uganda produces 510,000 tonnes of sugar. Of these, only 360,000 tonnes are consumed locally. The surplus of 150,000 tonnes is exported within East Africa, COMESA and DR Congo. Bank of Uganda statistics show that Uganda earns $98.92m (Shs.370b) annually from sugar exports.