Banana farmers in a Ugandan district have raised concerns over significant declines in annual yields over the last couple of years, according to website Allafrica.com. 

The story said farmers in the western Kabarole district had seen yields almost cut in half from an average of 1332 bunches per acre to 702.

Farmers reportedly attributed the decline to limited land, lack of access to improved varieties and inadequate information on banana production.

Felix Magezi, a farmer in Busoro Sub County, told the publication banana production was no longer a profitable venture.

Another grower, Mariam Agaba, said high-yielding varieties were needed to increase production, but added those cultivars were too costly for ordinary farmers.

Kabarole District Farmers Association chairperson Enock Musinguzi reportedly holds the local government accountable for not providing information required by farmers to improve production.

He said the majority of farmers did not have access to key information like how much organic content should be in the soil.

However, Amos Mugume from the Kabarole District Production Coordinator encouraged farmers to form groups through which they could acquire credit services and purchase improved farming technologies.

Uganda is the second largest producer of bananas after India, and more than 75% of all farmers grow bananas in different parts of the country, according to Allafrica.com.

Photo: www.shutterstock.com

www.freshfruitportal.com