Adonia Atuheire | Tayari News
KISORO – Onion growers and traders in Kanaba Sub-county, Kisoro District, are incurring significant losses due to a sharp decline in market prices this season, exacerbated by persistent heavy rains that have recently degraded crop quality.
Farmers report that the rains damaged onions while still in the fields, resulting in poor-quality produce that fetches low prices in the market.
Nizeyimana Joseph, the Kanaba Sub-County Chairperson, said the situation has significantly impacted both farmers and traders.
“Onions were affected by rains while still in the gardens, which greatly reduced their quality and market value,” he said.
The poor state of roads, leaders say, is hindering transportation to various markets. Nizeyimana noted that the state of the roads has made it difficult for traders to access better-paying markets.
“The roads are in a poor state, making transportation to markets very difficult for both traders and farmers. Heavy rains also continue to destroy onions before they are exported.”
He called on the government to intervene by constructing storage facilities for farmers in Kanaba.
Nezeyimana Joseph noted that Kanaba Market, which receives between 500 and 1,000 people daily, is also struggling with inadequate infrastructure.
“Despite the high number of people coming to the market every day, there are no proper toilet facilities and the available space is too small,” Nizeyimana said, calling for urgent government intervention.
Despite these challenges, Kanaba onions remain in demand beyond Uganda’s borders.
“Onions from Kanaba are exported to neighbouring countries including Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania, as well as Kampala,” said Nizeyimana
However, the price drop has been drastic. A sack of onions that previously sold at 700,000 shillings is now going for about 350,000 shillings. Prices are determined by traders outside Kisoro, and this has caused losses to local farmers.
He also advised farmers, especially those in hilly areas, to adopt better farming practices to control soil erosion.
Traders say this year’s season is worse compared to previous ones. Players in the onion chain revealed they took loans to finance their businesses and are now struggling to repay them, prompting calls for government support.
Meanwhile, casual workers at the market, most of whom are women, say they earn between 10,000 and 25,000 shillings daily, helping them sustain their families.
However, some of the workers allege they were unfairly left out of the Parish Development Model (PDM) funds due to bribery in the selection process, even as they expressed gratitude to the government for maintaining peace in the area.
The situation in Kanaba highlights the vulnerability of agricultural communities to weather changes, poor infrastructure, and unstable market forces.
Players are now calling for urgent government intervention in the form of better roads, storage facilities, fair pricing mechanisms, and improved market infrastructure to safeguard their livelihoods and stabilise the onion trade.