The legislators on the agricultural committee in parliament have advised government to speed up the process of amending the market act to enable farmers benefit from the produces.
Speaking during the symposium organized by Share an Opportunity Uganda SAO, the Member of Parliament Kapelebyong Julius Ocheng and Abim women MP Janet Okolimol who is also the chairperson the agriculture committee said that the current law on markets is very old and it gives middlemen leverage to cheat on farmers while selling their produces.
They say that the review will address the lack of an appropriate policy and legal framework on markets in Uganda, make proposals to guide market administration and management process.
According to Ocheng, many traders from Kenya use the ignorance of the farmers and cheat on them because they have no capacity to negotiate with then due to absence of a market law.
He says while amending the market act, the government should be compelled to buy the stock of farmers during bumper harvest in order to stabilize the prices of agricultural produces.
“Every stakeholder will be consulted about this law to make sure there is adequate in put in the new to address the emerging issues in the market law” says Janet Okolimol woman MP Abim.
The National Director of Share an Opportunity Florence Suubi said that the market will be determined with the market law is repealed and amended because Farmers in this country should get good service delivery.