The Uganda Sugar Manufacturers Association (USMA) has petitioned parliament seeking for its intervention into the ongoing construction of sugar mills in what they call illegal distances.

According to USMA chairman Jim Mwine Kabeho, much as the National sugar policy species zoning, several new mills have violated this.

He says the existing sugar policy specifies a distance of 50km between two factories within which each factory will use 30% of its area for cane growing and the remaining land to be used for food security and other activities but according to him the facts on the ground are different.

He told the parliamentary committee on trade and industry chaired by Grace Namara these new mills situated within the radius of old mills have continued to expand their factory capacities without necessarily expanding their agricultural base which he says has affected the current expansion programs of old mills and will in long rung distort the whole sugar industry in Uganda.

He attributed this anomaly to lack of a legal framework like National Sugar Act that would effectively implement the national sugar policy.

The group also cited lack of a regulatory authority into the sugar industry and suggested that the government should form a sugar board called The Uganda National Sugar Board is work should be to regulate, develop and promote the sugar sector.

USMA currently comprises of four old sugar companies including SCOUL, Kinyara, Lugazi and Kakira but their operations according to Mwine are threatened by new factories that have been opened up especially in Busoga area leading to high competition.