Farmers in the Lango sub-region have expressed deep frustration over ongoing exploitation by middlemen and produce dealers, who they accuse of manipulating market prices to their detriment.
Ms. Molly Atim, a farmer from Lira District, highlighted the lack of marketing structures and limited access to financial services as factors allowing middlemen to profit excessively at the farmers’ expense. “Agriculture is the backbone of our country. We rely on farming as a source of livelihood, yet it has become increasingly risky for us. Despite large-scale planting and good harvests, we struggle to find fair markets for our produce,” Atim explained.
During planting seasons, Atim noted that agro-input dealers often charge exorbitant prices, while middlemen offer unfairly low prices for the harvests. This cycle leaves farmers struggling to make ends meet despite their hard work and dedication.
The Lango sub-region is known for producing oilseeds like soybeans and sunflower, along with maize, sim sim, beans, and cassava. However, there is a significant disparity between the prices farmers receive and the prices at which middlemen sell the produce. For instance, small-sized beans are bought from farmers at shs1,500 to shs2,500 per kilogram but are sold by dealers at shs5,000 per kilogram. Similarly, maize is bought at shs700 per kilogram and sold at shs1,200 per kilogram.
Mr. Patrick Okello, a farmer from Aboke Sub-county in Kole District, shared that he was compelled to sell his ton of maize cheaply due to a lack of ready markets. “We can no longer educate our children through farming proceeds because of high input prices,” he lamented, urging the government to support farmers with quality drying facilities to improve value addition.
Okello criticized the government for failing to standardize the selling framework, allowing exploitative practices to persist. “During the second planting season, farmers pay between shs50,000 and shs60,000 for one kilogram of maize seeds, yet after harvest, middlemen buy it at just shs700,” he told Nile Post.
Lira City East Division Mayor, Mr. George Okello Ayo, remarked that the dominance of middlemen has left farmers at their mercy, controlling market access and capital flow. Dorcus Alum, the Lira District Agricultural Officer, acknowledged the districts’ inability to assist farmers due to a lack of supportive government policies. “Market dynamics are governed by supply and demand. We need government policies to protect farmers,” she said.
Alum advised farmers to form cooperatives to negotiate better prices collectively. “If farmers unite in cooperatives, they can buy seeds in bulk at reduced prices and have greater bargaining power when selling their produce,” she suggested.
