Trade Committee pays courtesy visit to Cotton & Oil Factory in Luuka

By Umar Ntogona

LUUKA, UGANDA: The Trade, Tourism and Industry Committee of Parliament on Wednesday, July 12, visited Mutuma Commercial Agencies Ltd, a cotton and cooking oil factory located in Kiyunga Town Council, Luuka District.

It is worth mentioning that H.E the President of the Republic of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni during his visit to Namutumba district on Labor Day on 1st/May/2023 said, that he was proud of the cotton and cooking oil factory in Luuka but that at this time he needs to know if they are still doing a great work since already then the government, should further see how they contribute to the efforts to eradicate unemployment in Uganda.

The committee headed by its chairman Hon. Mwine Mpaka Rwemirama MP for Mbalara City South visited the factory and found that the work is going on well and it has made findings that there is a need to further assist Mutuma Commercial Agencies factory to continue its operations.

Some of the findings include Mutuma using old machines and now it needs to get new machines worth 1.5 billion, increase the number of workers, to get more cotton farmers in Luuka and Busoga Sub-region at large among others.

DailyExpress spoke to Hon. Mwine Mpaka Chairperson of the Trade, Tourism and Industry Committee who explained upon return, the committee will file the findings and do their reports, then send them to parliament for the commercial agencies to increase the funds to run the business properly.

One of the members of the committee, Hon. James Ologo MP for Kyoga North in Amorata district said the problem is with the government because it has not paid attention to such industries by providing inputs and helping farmers to grow cotton.

Mr Edwin Mwesigye shareholder in the Mutumba factory, said the area where ginners like us can be helped is in the area of CDF contribution(cotton Development Fund), every ginner contributes UGX 400/kg on every kg we buy from the farmer to the fund; UGCEA (Uganda Cotton Ginners and Exporters Association) to help in maintaining our industry through distribution of inputs to farmers. If Cotton Development Organisation (CDO) is funded enough to take on that role, more money would go directly to the farmer.

He further added that “the government has come out strongly to support buying the cotton wool stock which is a great bonus, however, we are still challenged in selling cotton cake due to the importation of concentrates for animal feeds, oil Mills across the country are still struggling to sale stock of season 2022/23 due to the concentrates that have flooded the country from the Netherlands.”

Luuka LC V Chairperson, Mr Simon Wakaze thanked the committee for visiting the Mutuma factory to see how the work is going but urged MPs to help Mutuma because there is only one factory in the whole Luuka district and it will further develop the district in the way of reducing unemployment.

The RDC Luuka, Mr Samuel Musiho, urged the people of Luuka to increase the cultivation of cotton as the best crop in the country than sugarcane.