Lango Cooperative Union to switch from cotton to coffee, maize farming

16 March 2023, 6:23 pm

By Eman Yonah Oruk

Lango Cooperative Union leaders have revealed that the Union will embark on the promotion of coffee growing and value addition to Maize.

Tonny Ogwal, the Lango Cooperative Union vice Chairperson says given all the obstacles it has faced, the Union’s leadership has resolved to move from cotton to large maize farming and coffee production among others.

Tonny Ogwal, while speaking during a consultative meeting with held at Oyam District Boardroom said the union plan to purchase machines to add value to the maize grains that will be produce.

Robert Akona, the Oyam District Representative to Lango Cooperative Board says they also intend to distribute farm inputs to all our 144 primary
societies in all the nine districts of Lango.

Lango Cooperative Union was formed in 1952 by cotton farmers with the
aim of promoting cotton growing. However, during the course of its
existence, the Union fell upon hard times during which cotton growing,
buying, ginning, and selling was heavily affected.
In due course, the Union was forced to take a Shs 2.4 bn loan from the
Micro-Finance Support Centre to finance its cotton-growing activities but
failed to repay it following a bad season and fluctuating cotton prices.
This prompted the Micro Finance Support Centre to sell off the Union’s
ginnery at Ngeta to recover part of the loan.