Masindi Police Return Confiscated Sugarcane Weighbridges

Masindi district police have returned four sugarcane weighbridges that were previously confiscated. These weighbridges, which had been operating in Bunyoro’s sugarcane-growing regions, have now been handed over to Victoria Sugar and are being relocated to the company’s factory in Luwero district.

The decision follows directives from the Uganda Police headquarters and comes after a recent memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Kinyara Sugar Limited and Victoria Sugar. The agreement, facilitated by the Local Government minister-designate Balaam Barugahara, aims to bring order to the region’s sugar industry.

For years, roadside weighbridges in Bunyoro had become a point of contention. Leaders, farmers, and millers voiced concerns that these weighbridges were increasingly used to trade illegally harvested sugarcane. Organized theft syndicates were reportedly targeting plantations, leaving farmers to suffer significant losses after investing heavily in nurturing their crops.

Community mobilizers and farmers have welcomed the relocation. Francis Tumwine, a community mobilizer in Masindi, stated that the move signifies a commitment to an organized sugar industry where genuine growers benefit and criminals are denied a market for stolen cane. Sugarcane farmers expressed relief, noting that the new arrangement clarifies the purchasing process and helps protect their crops from theft.

Farmers can now clearly understand that those contracted to Kinyara Sugar will supply Kinyara, while Victoria Sugar will purchase cane from uncontracted growers. This move is expected to reduce disputes and strengthen the protection of farmers’ investments, signalling a positive shift towards a more structured and secure sugar market in the Bunyoro region.

https://observer.ug/news/masindi-police-hands-back-confiscated-sugarcane-weighbridges