COMMERCIAL GROWING OF SNACK SUGARCANE IN UGANDA:

[Albert Kunihira]

COMMERCIAL GROWING OF CHEWING/SNACK SUGARCANE IN UGANDA:

Sugarcane is one of the tropical herbs of the grass family consumed commercially in Urban Uganda & Domestically in rural homesteads.
Sugarcane locally known as “Ekikajo in Luganda & Miwa in Kiswahilli” is an excellent low cost establishment agro-business venture with all year through returns,
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COMMON SUGARCANE VARIETIES IN UGANDA:
 
The MOST Common & Juicy Species consumed in Uganda (CHEWING CANE), is known us GOA CANE, these are sweet moist, soft fiber canes that are eaten row.

SOIL REQUIREMENTS FOR GROWING CHEWING/SNACK CANE:

You will get best results in well drained, deep, loamy soil with an optimum soil pH of about 6.5.

HOW TO PROPAGATE SUGARCANE ON YOUR FARM:

Sugarcane is a vegetatively started grass, and its propagation is done using sugarcane plant parts like cane settings/CUTTINGS/Suckers,
settings are sections of the cane stalks containing buds.

HOW TO PLANT SUGARCANE IN UGANDA:

Sugarcane is a vegetatively started grass, and its propagation is done using sugarcane plant parts like cane settings; settings are sections of the cane stalks containing buds.

Alternatively bud chips can be used; the buds are little portions of stem with one bud.

Planting starts with proper growing materials, so prepare the bud chips from whole cane using a sharp edged knife.

When cutting ensure that each stem has abud on it. Canes can be started in the bed or directly planted for small fields.

Plant using budded chips or on raised nursery bed using a spacing of 7.5 cm between the inter rows at a rate of 300 buds per square meter.

Alternatively a nursery can be raised in poly bags with homogeneous mixture of equal quantity of soil, sand and well rotten compost.

When the seedlings are of about 6 weeks, transplant them to a well prepared field.

Make furrows approximately15cm deep, then transfer your sprouted sets into the furrows and plant them at 45 degree angle or lay them horizontally.

Then cover the settings lightly with soil to support further sprouting. Sugarcane being a giant crop producing a huge quantity of mass, it should be supplied with phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers.

SPACING, PLANT POPULATION PER ACRE/MATURITY:
Chewing/Snack GOA cane is planted at a spacing of 2x2ft, giving you a plant population of 10,900 per acre. Once planted, GOA Cane matures and is ready to be harvest in 4 months.

CHEWING/SNACK CANE ESTABLISHMENT COSTS & RETURN ON INVESTMENT:
1. BUSH CLEARING 80,000-150,000 PER ACRE
2. PLOUGHING 1ST/2ND 260,000-300,000UGX
3. SUCKERS 1,0900 (3,270,000)
4. PLANTING LABOR 400,000UGX PER ACRE
5. TRANSPORT (DEPENDS ON DISTANCE BETWEEN SOURCE, FARM LOCATION & QUANTITY.
6. 1ST HARVEST 10,000,000UGX (WHEN SELLING 1,000UGX PER CANE)
7. 2ND HARVEST 15,000,000 (WHEN SELLING 1,000UGX PER CANE)

HOW BEST TO HARVEST CHEWING/SNACK CANE IN UGANDA:

After four months you should be able to harvest your sugarcane.

Picking should be based on weather the leaves on the plant have yellowed or the general material appearance of the crop.

To harvest the cane at peak maturity cut the cane to ground level, then detop at appropriate height so that the top immature internodes are removed.  Then properly clean the cane to remove the extra dirt and parts like the leaves, trash and the roots.

ABOUT THE MARKET FOR SUGARCANE IN UGANDA:

Depending on the variety you have grown you can market your canes in many market niches e.g. the chewing canes  can  be sold to house hold consumer  in communities, Urban markets, busy business centres, around schools, colleges, universities, establish urban direct selling points etc

CHEWING/SNACK SUGARCANE VALUE CHAIN IN UGANDA:

The Chewing/snack sugarcane value chain in Uganda is a significant agro-based industry with a substantial contribution to the national economy. It has provided employment to the youth who are directly involved in the cultivation, harvesting, transportation, marketing & vending. Below are the value chain processes:-

1. GOA Cane is chopped and sold as raw cane in urban Uganda as a snack
2. Raw Goa cane is chopped and packed and distributed in Supermarkets for the elite in Urban Uganda
3. Raw GOA Sugarcane is squized into juice in shopping malls and markets in Urban Uganda and it sales as hot cake

4. Raw GOA Sugarcane is a game changer, it is as well harvested packed and exported to Europe, middle east and UAE bringing in the most needed Foreign exchange

PLACING YOUR SUGARCANE CUTTINGS/SUCKERS ORDER:

The cost per cutting/sucker, depends on availability & grade ranging between 200-500ugx.
To place yor order, please call/whatsapp/text 256-776-200002/752-200003, whatsapp +256-712-200000 OR Email: c...@greening.ing OR greenin...@gmail.com