Uganda’s efforts to formalize the sugarcane value chain and curb widespread agricultural theft received a significant boost after police handed over four confiscated sugarcane weighbridges to Victoria Sugar and oversaw their relocation from Bunyoro’s cane-growing belt to the company’s processing facility in Luwero District.
The move follows a landmark industry agreement between Kinyara Sugar Limited and Victoria Sugar aimed at eliminating practices that stakeholders say have fueled years of sugarcane theft across western Uganda.
The weighbridges, which had operated in key sugarcane-growing areas of Masindi, Hoima and Kikuube districts, were officially handed over by Masindi District Police Commander Pensive Tukasiima following directives from Uganda Police Headquarters.
Their removal marks a turning point for Bunyoro’s sugar industry, where roadside weighing stations had increasingly become a flashpoint in disputes involving cane ownership, illegal harvesting and informal trading networks.
Some weighbridges had evolved beyond their original purpose, becoming collection points where stolen sugarcane could be quickly traded before rightful owners discovered losses.
The reforms stem from a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Kampala between Kinyara Sugar and Victoria Sugar under the guidance of Balaam Barugahara.
Under the arrangement, Victoria Sugar will continue purchasing cane from independent farmers not contracted to Kinyara, while Kinyara retains exclusive relationships with its registered outgrowers. The companies also agreed to discontinue the use of roadside weighbridges in the Bunyoro sub-region.
For investors and policymakers, the agreement represents an important attempt to bring greater structure and transparency to one of Uganda’s fastest-growing agricultural industries.
Sugarcane theft has long undermined farmer incomes and investor confidence in Bunyoro, where growers often spend up to 18 months nurturing crops before harvest. Local authorities have repeatedly warned about organized theft syndicates targeting mature cane plantations and exploiting weak enforcement mechanisms.
Community mobilizer Francis Tumwine described the relocation of the weighbridges as a practical measure that closes loopholes previously exploited by illegal traders.
“What farmers and leaders want is a structured sugar industry where genuine growers benefit from their investment and criminals have no market for stolen cane,” he said.
Farmers have largely welcomed the development, arguing that clearer procurement arrangements between millers will reduce conflicts and improve traceability throughout the supply chain.
The latest reforms come as Uganda’s sugar sector seeks to balance rapid industrial expansion with stronger protection for growers.
For thousands of farmers across Bunyoro, the removal of the weighbridges signals a tougher stance against agricultural crime and a shift toward a more organized, investment-friendly sugar market.