Bunyoro Sugarcane Farmers Count Heavy Losses Amid Weighbridge Standoff

Tension is rising in Bunyoro sub region as sugarcane farmers count mounting financial losses following the dismantling of roadside weighbridges, a decision that has disrupted trade and triggered a legal battle in Masindi District.

The crisis began three weeks ago when the weighbridges, which farmers relied on to verify cane tonnage before delivery to sugar factories, were removed under circumstances that remain contested. Since then, growers say tonnes of harvested cane have been left drying in gardens as they struggle to transport produce to distant factory based weighing points.

Without nearby facilities, farmers argue they are incurring higher transport costs while risking under assessment at factory weighbridges. Many say the roadside installations offered transparency and strengthened their bargaining power. Their removal, they contend, has shifted control back to millers and middlemen at a time when input costs remain high.

Frustration deepened after a stakeholders meeting chaired by Masindi Resident District Commissioner Darius Nandinda ended without consensus. According to farmer representatives, earlier resolutions reached in Kampala were not implemented, and discussions instead reopened issues they believed had already been settled.

The impasse comes despite a prior directive from State Minister for Cooperatives Wilson Mbasu Mbadi ordering the reinstatement of the weighbridges under specific conditions. During consultations in Kampala, stakeholders reportedly agreed that the RDC would guide local leaders in identifying secure locations and ensure the facilities were used strictly for weighing, with payments handled separately to enhance accountability.

Farmers now accuse district authorities of delaying execution of those resolutions. “Our cane is drying in the gardens and we are losing money every day,” one representative said, adding that the prolonged uncertainty has weakened trust between growers and regulators.

Some farmers have also raised concerns about alleged undue influence in the decision making process, though authorities have not publicly addressed those claims. What remains clear is the economic strain facing thousands of households in Bunyoro who depend on sugarcane as their primary source of income.

The matter has since been escalated to court, where farmers are seeking reinstatement of the weighbridges and compensation for losses incurred during the suspension. They have also warned of peaceful protests if urgent action is not taken.

As the legal process unfolds, the outcome is expected to shape the future of sugarcane trade in the region. For now, growers remain caught between policy directives and local enforcement, watching their harvest wither as they await a solution that could restore both fairness and stability to the sector.