Toro embraces apple growing

FARMING 

Farmers in Bunyangabu and Kabarole districts are embracing growing apples on a commercial scale.

The sub-counties where apples are being grown are Kicwamba, Rwengaju, Karago in Kabarole.

The others are Katebwa, Kabonero and Kyemukabe in Bunyangabu. The farmers have planted more than 10,000 trees, according to the statistics from the district production offices of the two areas.

In Uganda, apples are grown in Kabale, Kisoro in the west and parts of Kapchorwa in the east. 

Farmers speak

John Mbilingi, an apple farmer in Katebwa subcounty, says he has planted over 350 apple trees in the past three years.

Mbilingi says he ventured into apple growing because of the favourable weather conditions. He was supported by the National Agricultural Advisory Services(NAADS).

"I planted grafted apples that are doing well. The only challenge I have is that flowers fall off and thus few fruits," Mbilingi says.

Julius Musiime, an apple farmer in Busoro, says apples require extra care, especially when the temperatures rise beyond 32°C.

"The temperature in Kabarole and Bunyangabu is 28-32°C, but we have extension workers who help us in ensuring that we get a good harvest," Musiime says.

Yusta Asiimwe, the district production officer for Bunyangabu, says apples grow best in well-drained loam soils with a depth of 45cm and pH levels of 5-6.

Asiimwe says extension workers usually guide them on how to take care of the plants.

"We have been training the farmers in groups on how best they can plant their apples to ensure profitablity. Through this, we hope to improve the household incomes of the farmers," Asiimwe says.

She says the plants require soils that are well-drained and free from stones.

"The crop requires well distributed rainfall of 1000-1250mm throughout the growing season," Asiimwe says.

Salivatory Abigaba, the Kabarole district production officer, says they conducted trials and found out that apples can be grown in the area.

However, the yields may not be as good as the ones grown in temperate regions like Kabale and Kapchorwa, Abigaba explains.

Grace Kazigati from the NAADS secretariat says they have been supporting apple growing as a way of stopping their importation.

She says they will also work with the district production departments of Kabarole and Bunyangabu to test soils in order to make informed interventions.

Khadija Nakakande, a communications officer at the NAADS secretariat, says they will support apple growing in the two districts.

How to plant apples

Abigaba says apples require a lot of sunlight to grow. He advises farmers to always contact district agricultural officers before planting apples.

"An apple tree can yield between 100 and 300 fruits per season," Abigaba explains.

There are two harvesting seasons in a year. He says the trees can grow to 20 or 30 ft tall and the spacing should be 25-30ft apart.

"Remove all diseased, dead or broken branches and all water sprouts. Water sprouts are fast-growing vertical branches that usually have no side branches.

All suckers should also be removed. Suckers are the fast-growing shoots that grow out of the soil from the roots below the soil surface," he says.

How to control pests

Abigaba says a farmer should prune apples regularly to ease sunlight and air penetration into the crown of the tree.

It is advisable to cut off any diseased branches, leaves or fruits.

"A farmer should keep the garden free from leaves and branches debris because they harbour pests. The pests are aphids, tree borers, fruit worms, leaf miners, maggots, birds and codling moths," Abigaba says.

He says farmers should ensure that they spray their apple gardens twice every season to prevent pests and diseases.