Posted on September, 4, 2018 at 11:21 am
Following a prolonged dry spell in Uganda at the start of 2017, the price of maize shot up and enticed many farmers including George Kirabira of Nakaseke District into growing maize. But because of good weather in 2018, there was a bumper harvest, which forced prices to drop from highs of Sh 1500 to lows of Sh 200 per kilogramme, dashing the hopes of farmers. In the future, we shall have few farmers growing maize,” Kirabira said.
To bridge the gap between production and storage, agri-business stakeholders have urged the government to put in place maize storage facilities in order to stabilize prices.
The government should take the lead in grain –stocking announcing producer prices at the beginning of the season and giving farmers the necessary agribusiness training. Small scale farmers and commercial farmers said prof.Godwell Nhamo a senior researcher at the University of South Africa.
He made the recommendation during an agribusinesss experts training workshop in Kira municipality last week.
Source: New Vision | Tuesday, September 4, 2018 | Page 28