President Yoweri Museveni has endorsed a proposal for the government to acquire Mayuge Sugar Factory, a move aimed at giving sugarcane farmers in the Busoga sub-region greater control over their market and prices.
Speaking during a meeting with farmers, millers, and sugar industry stakeholders at State Lodge in Mayuge, Museveni revealed that while his initial pledge was to build a new mill in Busoga, the directors of Mayuge Sugar, Maheswaris and Patels Group of Companies—had approached him with an offer to sell their existing plant.
The president sought farmers’ opinions on the proposal, saying it could help them overcome challenges posed by the dominance of current millers. Farmer representatives welcomed the idea.
Patrick Mudhungu, chairperson of sugarcane farmers in Busoga, said the factory has the potential to become one of the fastest-growing sugar mills in Uganda if managed by farmers. He expressed confidence that a government-backed purchase would enable farmers to run the mill successfully.
Faridah Nakato, who heads the women’s sugarcane farmers’ association in the region, said a farmer-owned mill would provide a guaranteed market for cane and eliminate the need for cumbersome permit processes. She believes such an initiative could transform the sugar sector in favor of growers, who have long faced barriers from millers.
Museveni pledged to expedite negotiations with Mayuge Sugar, emphasizing that farmer ownership would help stabilize sugarcane prices and strengthen the industry’s sustainability. “The sustainability of the sugar industry is a collective effort, and a farmer-owned mill is a well-calculated move toward achieving that,” he said.
Government officials are expected to begin discussions with the factory’s directors soon, with the aim of concluding the purchase in the shortest time possible.