JINJA — Sugarcane farmers in Butembe Constituency, Jinja District, have called on the government to transfer oversight of their sector from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, arguing that sugarcane is an agricultural crop that should be managed under the country's agriculture docket.
The farmers made the appeal during a thanksgiving ceremony organised by Butembe Member of Parliament Grace Kirya Wanzala, where they urged him to raise the matter before Parliament for urgent consideration.
Led by their representative, Christopher Mwombwe, the farmers expressed concern that being placed under the Ministry of Trade denies them the support and recognition they deserve as primary producers.
“We are farmers, not traders. Taking us to the Ministry of Trade sidelines our real needs. We believe the Ministry of Agriculture is better placed to address the challenges we face,” Mwombwe said.
He noted that many sugarcane growers are increasingly worried about the future of the sector, arguing that the current arrangement limits access to critical agricultural support services.
“We fear we may not get justice where we are currently placed because we are treated as business people, yet we are farmers who do the hard work in the fields,” he added.
The farmers also cited longstanding challenges in the sugar industry, particularly unstable and often low prices for sugarcane, which they say have not been adequately addressed.
“We have endured fluctuating prices for a long time without any meaningful intervention. We believe the Ministry of Agriculture can better handle these issues,” Mwombwe said.
The concerns come amid continued debate within Uganda's sugar industry over cane pricing, market access and the relationship between farmers and millers.
Sugarcane remains one of the country's key cash crops, supporting thousands of households, particularly in the Busoga sub-region.
Responding to the farmers, Butembe MP Grace Kirya Wanzala pledged to take up the matter in Parliament, saying he understands the challenges facing growers because he is also involved in sugarcane farming.
“This is not a strange concern to me. I am also a sugarcane farmer, so I fully understand the challenges you are facing. I will raise this matter in Parliament so that it can be addressed by the relevant authorities,” Wanzala said.
He reaffirmed his commitment to advocating for policies that improve farmers' livelihoods and strengthen the sugarcane value chain.
The event was attended by several political leaders, including a representative of the president of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and Soroti District Woman MP Ann Adeke Ebaju.
Farmers remain hopeful that government intervention will result in better policy alignment, improved pricing mechanisms and increased support for sugarcane production across the region.