Alfred Kilama, a farmer in Pawatomero East Village in Purongo Sub-County reveals that for years, a tractor was hired at 80,000 shillings only to plough an acre of land but the price has increased between 90,000 to 100,000 shillings.
Farmers
in Nwoya District have protested a decision by service providers to increase
the cost of hiring tractors.
With
the onset of rainy seasons and national shutdown, there is an overwhelming
demand for farm tractors by thousands of farmers in the district to plough crop
gardens ahead of the planting seasons this year.
Alfred Kilama, a farmer in Pawatomero East Village in Purongo Sub-County
reveals that for years, a tractor was hired at 80,000 shillings only to plough
an acre of land but the price has increased between 90,000 to 100,000
shillings.
//Cue in: “Gin gibino kany...
Cue out ...weng obed acel.”//
Another farmer Evelyn Amony says tractor owners argue that the hike has
discouraged her from hiring tractors to cultivate her gardens in which she
intends to plant maize, groundnuts and rice for commercial purposes.
A section of operators who preferred anonymity revealed that the lockdown has
attracted many people into farming and thus hiking the price.
Nwoya District Agriculture Officer, Alfred Kilama confirmed receiving
complaints from aggrieved farmers and warned those involved in hiking to stop
saying the 80,000 shillings of hiring a tractor has never been reviewed.
The Nwoya District LCV Chairperson, Patrick Okello Oryema divulged that
practice is unacceptable and threatened that they will inquire into the fee
hike and defaulters will be blacklisted.
//Cue in: “It is true that...
Cue out ... district of origin.”//
Recently,
the Minister for Northern Uganda, Grace Kwiyucwiny noted that approximately 800
tractors are being operated in Nwoya, the largest fleet for mechanized
agriculture for both large scale and subsistence farming compared to any other
part of the country.
Ochola's journalism career begun from Radio King 90.2 FM in Gulu around 2009, and Radio Rupiny 95.7 Fm under Vision Group in 2012. He also reported for Mighty Fire 91.5 Fm, Kitgum in 2015 before joining Wizarts Foundation in 2017.
He has been reporting for Uganda Radio Network (URN) since 2017 before being posted as Bureau Chief Kitgum, and latr Gulu between 2018 - 2021. Currently, he reports from Parliament.
