Luwero, the pineapple Sanctuary

PIC: Having a maiden tour of a pineapple garden Sozaki munches a piece on site as Kazuki looks on. (Credit: Titus Kakembo)

FARMING

LUWERO - Pineapples in Luwero are a must bite for tourists destined to Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kidepo Valley National Park.

The organic fruit weighing more than 4kg has a price tag of less than sh3000.

It all depends on one's haggling skills.

"Soon, a trip to Uganda without tasting a pineapple will be declared incomplete," said Association of  Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO) spokesperson, Jonathan Baniah.

"We are urging all tour operators to include a trip to Luwero as part of the itinerary."

Destined to Murchison Falls National Park, two Japanese Midori Lsozaki and Kusano Kazuki had their tongues wagging for the juicy harvest when they made a stopover in Luwero to sample them on 40 acres of a pineapple garden and Sulma Foods processing plant.

"These fruits are bigger than my head!" exclaimed Losaki as she was served a whole fruit dripping with juice. "Give me chop sticks?"

Godfrey Bogere, in his pineapple plantation in Luwero. The farmer says processed Pineapples are best sellers in most countries but the fresh one has a taste words can not describe. (Credit: Titus Kakembo)

Sozaki with her guide, Samuel Mugisha. (Credit: Titus Kakembo)
                
Losaki was told to wash her hands and eat the nanasi like Ugandans do.

At lunch time, Kazuki swore he had never eaten chicken that tastes like the one he had in Luwero.

"Now I know there is a lot more than the Big Five," confided Kazuki. "There are the gorillas, Rolex and now pineapples!"

The CEO Uganda Tourism Association, Samuel Kawere said the travel volumes of Japanese keep shooting up to 1, 356,700 going abroad.

He added that the challenge is on the marketers to lure them to destination Uganda and keep them here for as long as possible.

"Their taste buds love our pine apples besides the reptiles, birds and mammals!" boasted Kawere. "Luwero has the Nubian stay homes and their crafts besides the NRA war skulls memorial."