How continuous fire outbreaks are affecting Atiak Sugar factory’s operations

Business in Atiak Sugar factory has proved not to be going on well due to unnecessary fire outbreaks that have sabotaged its operations.

Two weeks back the factory again received a fire outbreak in which over 200 acres of the sugar cane was lost. A matter that prompted the company managing the factory to come out with a serious caution to the government.

According to the statement by Horyal investment Holding Company LTD issued on 8th November this year to the Minister of State Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperative David Bahati, the recent fire outbreaks have put the factory’s business at a stand still.

Amina Hersi Moghe the Chief Executive Officer  asked the minister to come out with a perfect solution to curb the problem of fire outbreaks because it is costing both the company and the out growers.

“Remember our factory has been shut down for almost 6 months due to lack of raw material and high operation costs which resulted from fire outbreaks that had happened earlier on..” she said.

“I request for urgent collaborative actions with the relevant government authorities to intervene because my business needs to run in a secure environment that assures return on investment. The relevant government agencies must also be involved in curbing these continuous outbreaks and provide a long term solution as we must protect investments whether private or public through a government public/private partnership framework,” she added.

According to Amina, the government must undertake restrictions or ban charcoal burning or human loitering in the forested areas bordering crops lands. She also needs the government to implement a receding borderline strategy to clear forest vegetation for at least 30m from the firebreak.

Who is behind these fire outbreaks

Atiak Sugar plantation has experienced a number of fire outbreaks, last year in December More than 3,000 acres for sugarcane out-growers in Atiak sub county in Amuru district worth billions of shillings were lost in a devastating fire..

The government’s move to set up this factory was to empower and uplift vulnerable members among them women who are beneficiaries of cooperative societies. But over the years, repeated fire incidents on the sugarcane plantations in the district have left the beneficiaries of Gem Pacilo Farmers’ Cooperative Society Out-growers and Atiak Out Growers Cooperative Society Ltd in losses.

The factory with a capacity to crush 1,650 metric tons of canes daily for both export and domestic use has been underperforming in the past months since it kicked off sugar production due to repetitive fire outbreaks that has caused scarcity of raw materials to the factory, an issue that has raised concern and prompted police to investigate.

Last week, Police arrested three people and impounded over 126 animals that were found grazing from the sugar cane plantations that were burnt down by fire. According to the regional Police Commander Aswa river Damalie Nachuha one of the three suspects was found with a fire lighter and some narcotic drugs and was also part of the people who were grazing cattle in the burnt sugar cane plantation.

“The suspects will face a number of charges, like how I said one was found with narcotic drugs and we also suspect that they could be the very people that set fire on this plantation and illegal movement of animals,” she said.

Anthony Akol lawmaker from Kilak North County also appealed to the government to come out  and protect the factory in question against the perpetrators who have made it a routine to set fire out its raw materials thus causing losses to both the factories managers and the Sugarcane out growers.

“This factory is my constituency and has suffered a lot since it’s commencement especially the fire outbreaks in the estate of the sugar canes. It’s unfortunate that several times the investigations are done nothing has been confirmed that has been that cause of the fire,” he said.

He went on and alluded that fire outbreaks in Atiak Sugar factory is an issue that should be dealt with immediately. “As a member of Parliament, I caution the government to take action now because we have spent a lot  of money on this factory, if we don’t act now when are we going to get this project online” he asked.

Currently the factory is again closed however there fears that the perpetrators behind the burning of sugar canes may advance and burn the factory.