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Farmers oppose implementation of cotton zoning policy

23
Apr '08

The new cotton policy adopted by the buyers in Busoga has been disapproved by the farmers in Kamuli.

According to this new policy, under the cotton zoning system, buyers have resolved to split up the major cotton producing areas into four zones each having a separate ginnery for purchasing the crops.

The ginneries are mainly Bulumba for Kaliro zone, Balawoli for Kamuli, Nakivumbi for Iganga and Busembatia for Busembatia town council and Namutumba district.

However, at a meeting held last week at Irundu Primary School, farmers from Kamuli vehemently protested the policy on grounds that it was planned to exploit them.

Farmers were of the opinion that zoning policy was designed so that they could be restricted from marketing their produce else where. Besides, it is against the liberalization policy of the Government.

In 2004, one kilogram of cotton was sold for as low as sh270 and since then the quality of cotton has suffered immensely because farmers are getting inclined to mix various substances with cotton to increase the weight of the produce.

Experts have therefore concluded that zoning policy would only lead to mal-practices in the production of cotton and the only way to prevent this is to do away with the plan of implementing this scheme.

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