FUEL PRICES PUSH FARMERS IN PADER DISTRICT ON THE EDGE

A lady operating a tractor. Photo By, Desire Alimocan

 By Desire Alimocan

Gulu

The recent rise in fuel prices in Uganda, has had a great impact on motorists and not excluding the Tractor operators. This has affected the large-scale farmers in Pader District who are challenged as the fare for the tractor operations have risen too, following the prices of fuel in the market.

One of the Farmers in Bongtiko Subcounty, David Okello says this has barred many from farming this season. “They say the price of the fuel has gone so high. This is understandable also. People have interest, but the problem is money. So, I know it’s challenging also from them to address it, because if we say we can do more, if you accept to do an acre at 80,000, they will also feel it very bad, because that is a low price.”

Okane Robert, also a farmer in Bongtiko Subcounty explains that this would affect their profits after the harvests. “Even though we plant, if the prices do not go high, it will affect the profits we are supposed to realize. And as we do that, we put aside the money we invested in it, some being loan. So, if we do no realize much profits, it will affect our loan payments in future because we shall have very little to pay it and remain with nothing,” he said

Ben Okello, the chairperson Tuutu Community Farmers Entreprise that also deals in mechanized ploughing says they help to plough the farms provided the farmer pays 60% of the fee.

“If you can give us 60% of the money for ploughing, we then look at your farming records for the past two or three years, because there are some people who look at the tractor and think they also need to go into farming, but in actual sense they cannot take care of the farm, after that we look at the seeds you want to plant, that is if they can help, then how trustworthy you are.”

The fee for ploughing has been 80,000 shillings and 100,000 shillings per acre before rising to 110,000 shillings per acre.