Banana farmers unite to improve prices, produce

United. Banana farmers display their products at Ekikoona Matooke Market in Mbarara Municipality recently. The farmers have formed an organisation to foster their business. PHOTO BY ALFRED TUMUSHABE

What you need to know:

  • Organised. The farmers have formed a union, which intends to mobilise existing banana growers’ organisations, spearhead formation of new ones and bring them together, among others.

Ankole. Banana farmers in Ankole sub-region have formed an organisation, Uganda Banana Producers Cooperative Union, to shore up growing of the crop, improve marketing and promote proper handling.
The production and actors in banana value chain face challenges of banana bacterial wilt, low farm gate prices, unscrupulous middlemen, declining soil fertility and unpredictable and extreme weather conditions, according to Mr Asaph Mugizi, the organisation’s chairman of board of directors.
High post-harvest losses accruing from poor handling methods and forms of poor presentation (in markets) and limited value addition are the other setbacks.
The union, spearheaded by banana farmers from Ankole sub-region, was registered with Uganda Cooperative Alliance in February, and has seven primary cooperative societies.
The State minister for Cooperatives, Mr Fredrick Ngobi Gume, launched the union on August 25, at Mbarara Zonal and Agriculture Research Institute.
Mr Mugizi, who also served as chairman of Mbarara District Farmers Association, says the challenges cannot be overcome without the banana farmers coming together.
“Banana producers are small holder farmers scattered in different villages and are not organised. Each farmer grows their own choice of varieties and use own methods. This complicates marketing, especially export markets, which require large volumes of uniform products,” Mr Mugizi says.
Presently, there are not many primary societies for banana farmers.
The intention of the union is also to mobilise existing banana growers’ organisations, spearhead formation of new ones and bring them together.
Those who have joined the union include Kakyerere Rural Cooperative Society (Mbarara), Kigarama Matooke Cooperative Society (Ntungamo), Kyabugimbi Area Enterprise Cooperative Society (Bushenyi), Kajaka Investment Cooperative Society (Mbarara) and Kashozi Matooke Cooperative Society (Sheema). Others are Biharwe Matooke Producers Cooperative Society (Mbarara) and Rwenshonzi Farmers’ Cooperative Society (Mbarara).
The champions of the union also expect to bring on board banana farmers in Kabarole, Bunyangabu, Wakiso, Rakai, Luweero, Tororo, Jinja, Dokolo, Mbale, Sironko and other banana growing districts.
“Banana production in other parts of Uganda is not as vibrant as it is in south western. Here [in Ankole], people have interest; and it’s both a commercial and food crop. Through collaboration with researchers at National Agricultural Research Organisation (Naro), we established that bananas can as well thrive in other parts of the country. It only takes passion and concentration, and that’s part of our agenda,” says Mr Mugizi.
Uganda’s bananas are mainly exported to UK, South Africa and South Sudan.
However, Kampala, Mbarara, Masaka and other big town provide the biggest local market.
Farmers in Mbarara, Isingiro and Sheema currently sell a sizable bunch of bananas between Shs20,000 and Shs40,000. However, prices can drop to as low as Shs3,000 and Shs 10,000 during production peak periods in June and July.
Through partnership with government and non-governmental organisations, the union seeks to promote irrigation and application of fertilisers for consistent production and value addition like making wine and other products such as cakes so as to get maximum returns from farming.
Mr Hannington Beyendeza, the chairperson of Kashozi Matooke Farmers and Traders Cooperative Society, says before the formation of the union, farmers lacked a common voice.
“Banana farmers have not been together. This has led to lack of a common voice. Middle men take a lot of our money. We are hopeful that with the union in place, we shall go to market with a common voice. We shall go to government as a team,” says Mr Beyendeza.
Mr Mathias Tushaboomwe, the chairperson of Rugaaga Matooke Cooperative Society, says through the union, banana farmers can harmonise how to sell, secure external markets and even help members who have urgent financial needs.
“We currently use our eyes to determine monetary value of bananas; you just look at the size. We need to agree that we should begin weighing bananas and sell in kilogrammes. Through the union, we believe we can secure external markets,” says Mr Tushabomwe.
Mr Sedrack Muhangi, a banana expert with NARO Mbarara, says with the formation of the union, scientists will find it easy to disseminate information on farming practices and popularise technologies.