Monies hidden in okra veggie

Okra is one of the few vegetables whose local and foreign market demand is increasing steadily. Yet it takes only two months to be ready for harvest.

Okra is a seed pod vegetable extensively used in salads, recipes, soups and stews because of its spicy taste. The pods can also be boiled or fried and eaten as a vegetable.

The vegetable is a rich source of many nutrients, including fibre, vitamin B6 and folic acid.

The plant can be grown on a wide range of soils provided they are fertile and well-drained and in areas which are warm with moderate rainfall. If the soil is not fertile, compost manure should be applied.

Okra is a fast-growing crop that takes only between 50-60 days to be ready for the first harvesting.

But despite being a fast-growing and high-value crop, few farmers in Uganda have taken the initiative to grow it. The biggest percentage of okra is consumed locally, while some of it is exported. The crop is grown mainly in Mubende and Mityana by small scale farmers.

Mr James Kanyije, a prominent vegetable and fruit farmer and exporter says okra is one of the few crops whose local and foreign market demand is increasing steadily. However, he adds, because many farmers don’t know this, very few grow it with many preferring to grow vegetables like tomatoes.

Mr Kanyije explains that Okra can be planted or sowed directly into the soil because it is difficult to transplant them. The favourable time of planting is during warm periods. The seeds can be bought from farm supply shops at a cost of Shs1,500 a packet. However Mr Kanyije adds that many of the okra seeds sold on the local market are of poor quality.

“We lack genuine okra seeds in Uganda which results into poor grade. Low grade okra fetches low prices on the international market well as the good quality seeds from abroad are expensive and many farmers cannot afford to buy them,” Mr Kanyije says.

In Uganda two varieties of okra are grown and these include Pussa sawwani (Indian) and Spanless okra (Mexican). But the Indian variety is the most marketable because it is the variety consumed by Asians who are the major consumers of the vegetable, according to Kanyije.

Cash in
Mr David Lusse, a vegetable and fruit seller in Nakasero market in Kampala says okra supply on the market is small which he says increases the price of the vegetable.

However, the local demand for the vegetable is still low because it’s mainly Asians who consume it.

“A kilo of first grade okra goes for Shs8,000 while the poor grade is at Shs5,000. But the price can go up to Shs12,000 a kilo during times when the supply is scarce,” Mr Lusse says.

Mr Kanyije says from experience, in order to get high grade okra, the farmer should pick the pods when they are still immature and at three inches long.

From an acre, Mr Kanyije says a farmer can pick 400 boxes of okra a week. He says the crop is perishable and a cold chain is essential in case a farmer has a big garden of the crop and grows okra for export. The pods should therefore be put in coolers immediately after harvest if their quality is to be preserved.

On the international market, UK in particular, Kanyike sells a 5kg box of okra at £6-£10 (between Shs25,000 to Shs39,000).

Since okra is harvested over a long period, to control weeds the farmer should mulch or weed the garden. Mr Kanyije says though that mulching is better because it suppresses the weeds while at the same time warming the soil and encouraging plant growth.

Pests and diseases
Okra can be attacked by pests and diseases like silver leaf whitefly, rough bollworm, looper caterpillars and green vegetable bugs. Aphids and mites may also occur on okra crops.

These insects feed on okra by sucking the sap of the leaves. This results in yellowing, cupping and browning of the leaves, which is often called hopper burn.

Harvesting of tender okra pods should be done carefully by cutting the pods from stalks in a manner that will not bruise the pods.

Okra is a fast growing and high-value crop but few farmers in Uganda have taken the initiative to grow it.

fmuzale@ug.nationmedia.com