Sugarcane farmers under the Bunyoro Sugarcane Farmers’ Cooperative Union Ltd have petitioned the Bunyoro Kingdom, raising alarm over alleged exploitation, opaque market practices, and systemic challenges they say are rapidly eroding their livelihoods.
The concerns were formally presented on March 26th, 2026, by union chairman Mahmoud G.A. Kazimbiraine to Bunyoro Kingdom Prime Minister Andrew Byakutaga Ateenyi during a meeting at the Hoima Kingdom Administration Offices, after which both leaders addressed the press.
In their petition, the farmers outlined a series of demands, including the immediate reinstatement of the removed weighbridges, comprehensive investigations into the alleged theft and vandalism, the public release of findings and supporting evidence, and full accountability for those responsible.
At the center of the dispute is the forced removal of commercial weighbridges in Masindi District, a move farmers say has exposed them to potential manipulation by sugar millers.
In a communique dated the same day, the union Chairman Kazimbiraine described the situation as a growing crisis in Bunyoro’s sugarcane sector.
Farmers recall that the industry once offered a stable and profitable livelihood, supported by independent weighbridges that ensured transparency and fair pricing. At the time, growers could earn between UGX 800,000 and UGX 1.5 million per truckload.
However, they say this progress has steadily reversed with the rise of large sugar manufacturing companies, which have increasingly dominated the market, weakened cooperative structures, and diminished farmers’ bargaining power.
“We have long relied on independent weighbridges to verify the weight of our produce. Now, without them, we are left at the mercy of systems we cannot independently confirm,’’ Kazimbiraine stated.
“When you deliver cane to factories like Kinyara, Kiryandongo or Hoima Sugar, you are not even allowed to witness the weighing process yet you are expected to accept the figures given. How can a farmer confidently hand over produce under such conditions?” the Union Chairman asked.
A key concern is that the removal and alleged vandalism of independent weighbridges has stripped farmers of the ability to verify produce weights, forcing them to rely entirely on factory-controlled systems where transparency is limited.
Kazimbiraine warned that beyond declining incomes, the situation is triggering broader social consequences.
“The removal of these weighbridges has left more than 300 youths jobless, pushing them back into communities without livelihoods and heightening the risk of social instability,” he said.
Farmers also allege that some sugar companies influence pricing and restrict them from selling to alternative buyers, effectively creating a controlled market environment.
The statement further points to what farmers describe as the growing dominance of powerful, often foreign-linked companies that leverage financial strength to control supply chains and pricing, sidelining local stakeholders.
They also raised concerns about possible political and institutional interference, claiming that certain decisions appear to favor millers at the expense of farmers.
Additionally, the union expressed frustration over what it termed government inaction, noting that repeated appeals have yielded little tangible response.
The farmers are now calling on the Bunyoro Kingdom and other regional leaders to intervene and amplify their concerns, warning that failure to act could accelerate the decline of the sector.
In response, the Kingdom’s Prime Minister Andrew Byakutaga Ateenyi acknowledged the grievances and pledged further engagement.
“They have come forward to present the challenges they are facing, however we will engage other kingdom authorities and government officials to establish what is happening and determine the most appropriate course of action to address these issues,” he disclosed.
The Bunyoro kingdom Prime Minister emphasized the importance of sugarcane as a key economic crop in the region, noting that the concerns raised warrant urgent attention.
The unfolding dispute highlights a broader challenge within Uganda’s agricultural economy on how to balance large-scale industrial investment with the protection of smallholder farmers.
Without decisive action to restore transparency, fairness, and accountability, farmers warn that the very communities sustaining the sugar industry risk being pushed further into economic vulnerability.
