Farmers decry low prices of vegetables

Farmers, who grow vegetables at Bumusse Irrigation Scheme in Manafwa District, have decried low prices of their products.

The farmers attributed the drastic fall in prices to closure of weekly markets and the ban on inter-district travel.

The government early this month imposed the restrictions in a bid to contain the surging cases of coronavirus in the country.

In an interview with Daily Monitor on Monday, Mr Fred Wekesa, a farmer, said they currently sell a sack of cabbage at Shs15,000 down from Shs30,000.

“The prices have dropped for instance, we are selling tomatoes at Shs 500 a kilogramme yet we used to sell them at Shs1,500,” he said.

However, Mr Gideon Nate Israel, a pump operator and farmer, said despite the low prices, the scheme has improved their livelihoods.

He said before the scheme started, he used to grow cabbages and tomatoes, which would fetch him not less than Shs900,000 a year.

“But now I earn more than Shs1 million just in one season and about Shs12 million in a year. I am doing good business,” he said.

Mr John Mukhooli, another farmer, said they have also managed to buy more land and open up new businesses.

“I started with one plot of land but now I have five plots. I also own cows and I have started a bar,” he said.

Mr John Wekesa, the Bumusse Village chairperson, said the irrigation scheme has also reduced unemployment levels because it employs many youth..

Mr Sam Muse, the Bukusu Sub-county chairperson, said the scheme has helped his community members to fight poverty and improve their living standards.

Mr Muse, however, said Covid-19 restrictions have affected the farmers’ earnings for the past two years.

He said farmers give back 10 per cent of the money they get in a season for maintenance and sustainability.

“The 20 per cent is saved for future use and 70 per cent is for their daily expenditure,” he said.

Backgrond

The Bumusse Irrigation Scheme, which sits on 15 acres of land in Bumusse Village in Bukusu Sub-county, was established in 2018 by the Ministry of Water and Environment to promote commercial agriculture.

The scheme was lobbied for by area woman MP, Ms Mary Goretti Kitutu.

The scheme now provides a stable water supply for growing vegetables throughout the year even in the period of dry spell.

Ms Kitutu said the farmers were zoned in specific projects as part of the government programmes to fight poverty and unemployment.

“The farmers’ income levels are much better than they were six years ago. They are now more organised and enterprising,” she said.

Ms Kitutu said a total of 2,000 women entrepreneurs in the district are also organised in associations and are growing  passion fruits, irish and sweet  potatoes, cabbage, avocado, watermelon, among others.

“Other groups are specialised in  crafts making, tailoring, catering services but all this in bid to improve on their household income,” she said.