By Herbert Musoke
Judges for the Best Farmers’ competition have started visiting shortlisted farmers to select the 2024 winners who will be announced in early December.
Victoria Ssekitoleko, the former Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries who is also the chairperson of the judges, said 50 farmers were shortlisted from the ten regions as per the competition dimension.
“We will visit these farmers to ascertain whether what was written in the profiles is actually on the ground but also find out if there are other aspects that were left out,” she added.
On Tuesday, November 05, a team of judges visited Musubi farm in Mayuge district. Musubi farm is known for growing Hass avocado and making crude oil from avocado. The oil is made from the farm’s factory at Najembe in Buikwe district. The farm has over 2500 acres of Hass avocado.
Hesboan Cheruiyot, the production manager of Musubi farm in Mayuge district during the visit to his farm said that a well-managed Hass avocado tree will give a farmer 70% of grade one fruits for the export market, with a kilogram selling between sh2,500 to sh3,000.
He added that 30% will be grade II fruits that the processing factories will buy at sh500 to sh1,000 per kilogram.
He explained that a Hass avocado tree is expected to yield about 20kgs of fruits in the first year of harvest which starts at three years and doubles every year of maturity. An acre takes 115 trees.
Cheruiyot asked Ugandans to join Hass avocado growing because its demand is very high compared to its production.
The winners will travel to the Netherlands for a study visit.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Hesboan Cheruiyot (left) explaining to the judges: Prof. Ogenga Latigo (right), Agustin Mwendya and Victoria Sekitoleko how they hass avocado seedling is grafted.
