Farmers to train on how to get market for passion fruits

Farmers interested in growing passion fruits as business are to undergo a training session on how to position their crop for export. Attention will be on standards and specifications of passion fruits needed by the regional markets, how to grow them, and look after them to the point of sale.

It is estimated that of Uganda's non-traditional cash crops, passion fruits controls about 20% of the market annually, of which the number is likely to double with minimum skills among farmers.

This is according to Allan Ssempala Kigozi, founder of Happy farmers, an organization that is building capacity among farmers to produce for the market, in a press conference held at MTK building in Kampala ahead of the training that will take place on Saturday.

"To have quality, you need many things including the right pesticides to use in case of disease outbreaks, right irrigation equipment, right seeds and how to look after it so that you can have a product for the market," said Sempala.

He said the horticulture industry provides the most promising ways of increasing house hold incomes, nutrition at the same time providing raw materials for agro processing industries which later create employment.

The training, organized by Happy farmers is being supported by NARO through the National Crop Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI), MTK and Davis and Shirtlif.

Dr. Idd Ramadhan from the Horticulture and palm oil program at NaCRRI explained that they have so far developed seven passion fruit varieties over the last 10 years and are in the process of releasing the latest varieties to farmers.

He said at Namulonge, farmers will be exposed to the various verities which adapt to the climate in the different parts of the country, how to look after seeds, pests and disease management among others.

"Also farmers will be educated on the various diseases and pests that attack passion fruits including their signs and symptoms so they can apply the right chemicals or control measures," Ramdhan said.

Since farmers are good at misusing agro chemicals, MTK which has experience in crop health for over 40 years will display to farmers different chemicals needed for the proper growth of the fruits.

Francis Kitaka, the chairman of MTK chemicals Uganda limited emphasized the need for quality agro chemicals for those who have embraced farming as a business.