September 17, 2025
Ugandan corn farmers lament losses amid the crop's falling prices
Farmers in the greater Kibaale area of the western region of Uganda, covering Kagadi, Kakumiro, and Kibaale districts, are incurring heavy losses as corn prices plummet during the peak harvest season.
Many farmers said they had invested a lot of money, hoping for better profits, but the market prices let them down. They blamed low prices on the high supply of corn, saying many people planted the crop after making good profits in the previous season.
Last season, a kilogramme of corn was sold between UGX900 (US$0.26) and UGX1,000 (US$0.29) but this season price has fallen between UGX500 (US$0.14) and UGX700 (US$0.20).
Farmers said the sharp drop has left them without profits, with only middlemen and casual workers benefiting.
Dezi Katongore, a large-scale farmer in Kitonya Village, Bubango Sub-county in Kibaale District, said he spent more than UGX2 million (US$570.93) on pesticides labour, and renting land to grow corn, expecting to earn more than UGX4 million (US$1,141.73). He planned to harvest 90 sacks but only got 52 because of long dry spell after planting.
"To my dismay, I sold at UGX70 (US$0.020) per kilogramme instead of UGX1,000 (US$0.29) as I had anticipated. Losses start even before market stage. I had nowhere to store the corn. If I had kept it, it would have spoiled. I don't know if I will farm corn again next season," he said.
Similarly, Katangwe Birungi, a small-scale farmer from Kataara Village in Kibaale District, said he invested more than shs1 million in his four-acre maize farm at the start of the season.
He harvested 28 sacks, earning UGX1.26 million (US$359.69) instead of the more than UGX3 millio (US$586.40) he had expected. Birungi said he was unable to raise enough money to pay school fees for his children. He now plans to switch to beans, saying their prices are more stable.
Businge Byamukama, a resident of Kijungu Village in Kagadi District, shared a similar experience. He spent nearly UGX900,000 (US$256.92) on labour and farm inputs for his two-acre corn garden but harvested only 27 sacks.
Byamukama was forced to sell each kilogramme at UGX250 (US$0.071), far below what he had hoped, earning shs1 million. He said from the little he earned, he had to clear UGX300,000 (US$85.64) loan, pay UGX200,000 (US$57.09) in school fees and settle hospital bills UGX100,000 (US$28.55).
What remained, he said, was hardly enough to take care of his family.
"I was forced to sell because I couldn't afford storage. I am now planning to intercrop next season because relying on just one crop isn't sustainable. I want to switch to beans," he explained.
Zimwanghuhiiza Byaruhanga, a farmer from Kibaale District, said he invested about UGX800,000 (US$228.37) in labour, pesticdes, fertilisers and seeds for his two-acre garden. He had expected at least 20 sacks but ended up with only 16.
"What we put in doesn't match what we got out. We've been neglected, yet agriculture is a major contributor to the country's economy. Why doesn't the government set regulations to fix prices for farmers? We're making losses on some of the money we invest, including bank and Sacco loans, and now we're finding it hard to pay them back," he said.
He said he had hoped to sell his corn at UGX1,000 (US$0.29)per kilogramme, but the market only offered only UGX500 (US$0.14). Byaruhanga accused middlemen of exploiting farmers by setting unfair prices during harvest time and urged government to step in and regulate the market.
"Even after harvest, the middlemen manipulate measuring tapes to cheat us. But we have no choice—we must sell to support our families, pay loans and school fees," he said.
Efforts to get comment from district leaders were futile as of press time.
- Monitor
