By Samuel Amanyire
Banana farmers in Bunyangabu District and Fort Portal City are worried about the low prices of bananas despite the surplus yields.
The farmers said they need to be equipped with value addition skills to be able to gain from their produce. They made the request last week on Monday, July 15.
Wallen Turyasingura, a 49-year-old farmer whose banana farm sits on three acres in Bunyangabu District says despite the high yields, they can barely pay their children’s school fees because bananas are sold at a low price.
“A big batch of bananas which was previously sold between sh30,000 to sh45,000 now costs sh3,000 to sh6,000,” Turyasingura said.
Lammy Muzoora, a farmer in Keihokwa cell, East Division of Fort Portal City said that he has failed to pay off a loan of sh8m which he got from the bank to buy barbed wire to fence his four plantation acres.
“I am now worried about losing my land to the bank,” he said.
Value addition
David Arinaitwe, a lay leader at St. Andrews Bukuku Church of Uganda in the Ruwenzori diocese of Fort Portal City and also a banana farmer said farmers need to be equipped with value additional skills.
He adds that they can be taught how to make crisps, cakes, and wine among others from bananas.
“This will control wastage of bananas in such a season,” he said.
Ngomayondi Abel, the Chairperson of LC3 Rwimi Town Council in Bunyangabu District advised farmers to form groups which can be easily accessed by agricultural officers.
He also asked farmers to be patient, saying the decrease in prices of bananas is for a short while, adding that prices will shoot up very soon.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Farmers harvesting bananas. Farmers are frustrated over the low prices. Photo by Samuel Amanyire
