Ayuu Alali Sugarcane Seeds Dry Up Due to Limited Labor Force

Mohamud attributed the mass loss of the cane seed to the shortage of casual labor force, saying it has continued to impact heavily on the sugarcane project and is likely to hinder them from achieving their targeted acreage during the current planting period.

Over 200 tons of cane seeds secured for planting under the Ayuu Alali Sugarcane project in Palabek Kal Sub County in Lamwo district have dried up due to inadequate casual laborers to plant them.  

Mohammud Mohammed, the Executive Director of Horyal Holdings Investment Limited, which is overseeing the sugarcane production project for Ayuu Alali Out-growers Cooperative Society, disclosed this during an on spot monitoring visit on Monday.    

Mohamud attributed the mass loss of the cane seed to the shortage of casual labor force, saying it has continued to impact heavily on the sugarcane project and is likely to hinder them from achieving their targeted acreage during the current planting period.

Horyal Holding Investment Company secured over 4000 metric tons of cane seed from Busoga Sub region. So far 3800 tones have been received but only 700 tons have been planted leaving an estimated over 2500 tons. 

Mohamuod says they needed over 900 casual laborers to meet their target of planting 100 acres of cane seed on daily basis before the first rain season elapses.

Francis Ojwiya, the Chairperson Ayuu Alali Sugarcane Cooperatives Society, says the available

400 laborers are inadequate to plant the targeted acreage within 130 days. 

Ojwiya says they are also challenged by the fact that some casual laborers abandon work after receiving payment.        

He says efforts by the company to secure over 400 casual laborers from Kamuli district to boost the thin workforce were affected by the Covid19 lockdown.  

In November 2018, Ayuu Alali Sugarcane Cooperatives Society embarked on a sugar cane production project after securing over 15,000 hectares of land in the Tim Ayuu wilderness from Ayuu Cultural chiefdom on a lease agreement of five years.   

Horyal Investment Holdings Company Limited that is behind Atiak Sugar Works in Amuru district received a grant from the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADs) to open up 15,000 hectares of land, plant cane and later handover the sugarcane plantation to the Cooperatives Society.  

The society with over 3000 benefitting households is expected to distribute the plantation among its members with each household receiving 5 acres each.

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