Prince Emmanuel Babalanda, the deputy prime minister of Bugabula Chiefdom, on Monday said the cotton industry was "killed" by the privatisation policy when government started paying farmers through vouchers.

"Farmers lost interest as they were not getting the money when the privatisation policy came up with paying vouchers and chits," Mr Babalanda pointed out

Mr James Mpaulo, the Kamuli District agriculture officer, said farmers abandoned cotton growing in the area due lack of incentives.

"Originally, farmers were getting free cotton seeds, field staff technical guidance and assured market; but now, they are buying seeds whose performance is poor and paying for the services," Mr Mpaulo revealed.

Mr Jafari Isiko, the agricultural officer for Magada Sub-county in Namutumba District, said in the 1960s and 1980s when government was buying cotton and determining its prices, things used to be better.

Mr Moses Kintu Kulabako, a resident of Kagulu Village, Kagulu Sub-county in Buyende District, who grew cotton for 30 years, said he decided to change to rice farming, citing "unproductivity" of cotton growing.