Venture into beetroot growing to earn income
Beetroot can earn the farmer a good income
With more people switching to eating foods and vegetables, with high nutritious value, the demand for beetroot, a root vegetable is increasing steadily.
Beets can be grown in moist, fertile soils in an optimum temperature of between 15 degees and 18 degrees centigrade. They can also thrive in raised beds or pots, making it possible for people in urban areas where land is limited.
In Uganda, beets are mostly grown in Kabale and Kisoro areas. But because of the high demand for the vegetable, most of the beets sold in markets such as Nakasero are imported from Rwanda.
Mr Charles Mulwana, an organic farming trainer at Kasenge Riverford Organic Training Centre in Mbalala in Mukono District, says beets have a short growing period of only two-and-half months and can be grown by sowing seeds in trenched rows of about two cm deep in a well prepared soil. Beets can be grown in moist, fertile soils in an optimum temperature of between 15 degees and 18 degrees centigrade. Since beets are root vegetables, Mr Mulwana says, their growth can be impeded by large obstacles such as stones and pebbles.Beetroot seeds can be bought from farm supply shops.
Mr Mulwana says the most grown and preferred beet variety in Uganda is the red beetroot. He however, says there are other varieties like the white beet.
After sowing, cover, water well and when the seedlings are about 2cm (0.75in) high, remove the weakest of each pair to leave one beetroot seedling every 10cm.
He says after eight weeks from the time they were sown, beets can be harvested by pulling them gently.
Ms Sarah Namuddu, a vegetable seller in Nakasero Market, says she buys most of the beetroot she sells from traders who buy them from Rwanda. She adds that she sells a kilogramme of beets at Shs4,000 and one big beet at Shs1,000 and a small one at Shs500.
Most of her customers include Asians and hotels and a few Ugandans are also slowly beginning to buy the vegetable. Mr Mulwana says because of their medicinal value, the demand for beets is steadily increasing. Beets can be peeled, diced and eaten raw. They can also be added to salads.
Beets contain abundance of minerals, namely potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sulphur, iodine and others. Also, they help normalise the Ph balance of the body. They are also used in the treatment of cancer, malnourishment in children, liver diseases, and sickle cell and also boost immunity especially among HIV/Aids patients.
