Lukyamuzi’s money grows on citrus trees

You can only reap what you sow. Busujju county Member of Parliament, David Lukyamuzi Kalwanga, is a definition of a hustler.
Since his days as a marketing executive on radio, he has gone on to become the country sales manager of Harris International, establishing his own media agency, Felma before he quit the high paying job to become a member of parliament and now a farmer.
He is no longer worried about when the rains will fall. “Farming in Uganda is so much dependent on the weather but being creative is what matters now,” the 39-year-old, say.
Unpredictable rains are now the norm in most parts of Uganda including the central region that used to be wet most of the year.
Most maize farmers are enduring the pain of the army worm attack while coffee is wilting yet other crops do not get enough rain to give a substantial yield.
Lukyamuzi has beaten all this by farming oranges and guavas which can thrive in such dicey weather conditions.

Research-based farming
Soil needs to be upgraded to fit the desired requirements but he advises using manure, sawdust and gravel depending on the soil type.
Nsubuga Kasumba, his farm manager is an extension worker who conducted soil tests before advising on the amount of soil acidity and its requirements.
He notes that many farmers make the mistake of simply planting crops without making basic research on the soil and what it can accommodate.
“Traditionally research on soils is a new thing but times have changed. Farmers need to do research on basically everything to be sure,” he said.
He advises farmers to use phones and tap into their continued use. “Most people are not using their phones in the right way. But for someone who wants to earn from farming, the internet is a valuable source of vital information,” Kasumba explains.

Reaping big
He plants three varieties of oranges namely Washington Navel, Valencia and Hamlin which he says if combined perform so well on the market because of their high yields.
In the early stages, he inter-cropped with legumes and vegetables, particularly in the rainy seasons to supplement his income and raise money for pesticides.
Lukyamuzi discourages farmers against the practice as it results in competition for nutrients and water in soils especially when the plants start fruiting.

“Farmers should not inter-crop orange and mango trees to avoid competition. There is need for proper mulching to retain moisture.”
At his two farms combined, he harvests up to 120 bags of oranges and 100 of guavas. He sells each bag of oranges between Shs130,000 to 180,000 to Harris International.
This amounts to over Shs40m annually from a business which he visits once every week.
He worked at Harris in different capacities as country sales manager, media manager and operations manager from 2011 until 2016, when he became MP Busujju county. He used the inside knowledge to his advantage.
“Oranges are on high demand and the advantage is that they have a longer shelf-life yet trees continue giving even in off season,” says Lukyamuzi, who plans to acquire more land in Gomba or Mubende. According to him, Buganda region is nearer to the market which cuts costs instead of Nakasongola, Soroti, and Iganga where oranges are also grown.

Challenges
Every Monday or Tuesday he is at either farm while he uses his phone to monitor the people who are on ground.
“I have realised that most workers need a lot of supervision and if you mean business you must be in the know of every detail about your crops,” he says.
Land fragmentation and counterfeit pesticides remain a big setback to farmers and he says unless a policy is put in place many farmers will continue to count losses.
“Do not be satisfied. Keep seeking opportunities because you never know where your fortune is hidden. Many people are struggling in the city with big titles at their jobs yet what matters most is what is on the bank account,” Lukyamuzi explains.

Taking care of oranges
Water - oranges need a lot of watering. When taking care of an orange tree, remember that water lowers the solid content of the fruit. Depth of planting also affects how much water you provide during orange tree care. Fruiting orange trees usually need between one and half inches of water per week.

Fertilisation
Fertilisers should include potassium and phosphorus as well as a range of micro-nutrients.
If your older orange tree does not produce fruit in abundance, take a soil test to determine what fertiliser ratio is needed.
Additional fertilisation is often applied by spraying the leaves of the tree once or twice a year.

Pruning
Pruning the orange tree is not necessary. However, you should remove any branches that are a foot or less from the ground. In addition, remove damaged or dying branches once they are noticed.

Starting
Lukyamuzi has a two-acre demonstration farm in his constituency, and another 20-acre chunk of land in Gomba.
“I got into orange farming because there was ready market,” he recalls.
While working at Harriss International, he found that there was a need of up to 15 tonnes of fresh oranges every week to make orange juice.
“From that time I realised that it is important for any farmer to establish his/her market and its requirements before they invest their money and time,” he said.
Britannia Allied Industries, the manufacturers of Splash juice are the other company that offers market for fruits including mangoes; passion, guavas and oranges at their state-of-the-art juice extraction plant in Ntinda.

Their Managing Director Vinay Dawda noted in 2015 that they were operating on low production following low supply of raw materials.
Lukyamuzi also has some guavas which he supplies to traders in Kampala major markets such as Nakasero, St Balikudembe, Nakawa, Kalerwe and Kireka.
“Many people like guavas but they are no longer available since they were growing in the wild. When I discovered that there was demand, I planted them too because a kilogramme can go to even Shs3,000 yet one tress can provide over 10 kilogrammes in a good season,” he adds.
Traditionally, farmers in his area have survived on subsistence farming of coffee and food crops but Lukyamuzi says that soils are ‘tired’. He has learnt the art of making oranges survive in such conditions.
“We do not have sandy soils in our area but what I do is to dig a hole with a two feet radius and then put two basins of sand soil which works so well for the desired aeration,” he says.