Government Targets Gas In Albertine Region To Reduce Cost Of Farm Fertilizers

Farmers in Uganda will soon access cheap and locally made fertilizers when factories in Tororo in Eastern Uganda and Lake Albert in Bunyoro, western Uganda become operational.

 The revelation was made by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni while addressing a press conference in Jinja Tuesday 29^th December, 2015.

The president’s comments were triggered by farmer’s minimal use of fertilizers because they cannot afford to buy imported fertilizers. This has led to low farm output.

“The other issue is that they are not using fertilizers, they are using natural fertilizers. We are going to work out a programme,” the president said referring to low farm out by farmers in the country.

“We are building a factory of fertilizers in Tororo, we shall build another one in Lake Albert with the gas there, so that with the fertilizers our people get higher yields.” President Museveni who is seeking re-election said promisingly.

Government, according to a report by New Vision newspaper, is undertaking a $560m Sukulu Phosphates project in Tororo district in Eastern Uganda intended to produce fertilisers to meet the country’s needs.

Government partnered with a Chinese firm, Guangzhou Dongsong Energy, to develop the project. They also plan to build a 5MW power plant in the area.

The President of Guangzhou Dongsong Energy Group, LV Weidong, is quoted by the newspaper saying that the company intends to produce 300,000 tonnes of phosphate fertilisers.

In 2014, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development announced that Uganda’s oil deposits had risen from 3.5 billion barrels to 6.5 billion barrels.

It also revealed a significant increase in gas deposits to  over 500 billion cubic feet in the Albertine region. It is this gas that will be used to manufacture fertilizers which farmers can access cheaply.