Sorghum farmers in Kabale are stuck with their produce because of lack of market.
Previously, local beer brewing companies such as Nile breweries and those from Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo were the major consumers of Sorghum from Kabale.
However, the companies stopped buying sorghum from Kabale because of its poor quality. Joy Mbabazi, a sorghum farmer says that since the beer brew companies pulled out they are stuck with huge stocks of sorghum.
She says that before the beer companies pulled out of buying their produce a kilogram of sorghum was selling at shillings 2500. She however says that the price has now dropped to shillings 1000 yet there are no buyers.
Byembabazi accuses the district leadership of failing to help farmers in the district to market their produce. She however says that despite the fact that there is no market for their produce they still consider Sorghum as their cash crop.
Henry Musinguzi, Nile Breweries Kabale coordinator says that they stopped buying the sorghum in Kabale after introducing another variety that is efficient in beer production.
He says that epuripuri which is produced in parts of Eastern Uganda and Karamoja is soar and very effective for beer production.
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He says that the sorghum produced in Kabale is sweat and cannot be used to ferment good beer. Nile Breweries had been spending over 3 billion in buying sorghum from Kabale, Kisoro and Kanungu.
Jimmy Musiime the assistant Project Cordinator Africa 2000 Network says they have embarked on promoting sustainable growth of sorghum.
He says farmers are trained in value addition by making cakes; composed flowers from the sorghum so as to enable them earn an income.
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Other methods include canning processed porridge which is made out of sorghum saying this will enable farmers add value to their crop.
Musiime however says that the failure by the farmers to unite has made it difficult for them to advocate for better prices.
