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Kwale fruit farmers count losses as factory is delayed

 

Kwale fruit farmers are counting losses due to the lack of a ready market for their products despite bumper harvests.

The farmers in Kubo South ward, the largest producer of fruits in the county, say that most of their fruits were rotting on the farms even as they are exploited by middlemen.

Ms Sabina Jeremiah said that even though she has a bumper harvest this season, she has no buyers.

“We can only sell the mangoes at Sh1 or Sh2 each when the brokers come. I have no option because if I leave the mangoes on the farm they are going to rot or be eaten by birds,” she said.

Ms Jeremiah’s farm and those of other farmers have hundreds of mango trees whose fruits are going to waste or are fed on by insects and birds.
Mr Mutavi Kitolo, another farmer in Kubo, said that despite being exploited by brokers, the latter are their only hope because the farmers themselves cannot transport the fruits to the Kongowea market in Mombasa County.

“The brokers dictate the prices. We rarely have a say as farmers lest we lose the opportunity to sell to them,” said Mr Kitolo on Wednesday.

Farmers, he said, have always had challenges with the market and would transport directly to the Kongowea market.

However, due to long processes and the high cost of transporting the goods, they decided to have traders buy directly from the farm.

Farmers here also face stiff competition from neighbouring countries like Tanzania, whose fruits are bought by traders at a much lower price.

“If we could just get a processing plant, it would be a big relief because we would be selling the fruits in bulk to avoid such losses,” said Mr Kitolo.

Other crops cultivated in Kubo are bixa, emo, tangerine, passion fruits, pineapples and lime.

Tangerines are sold at Sh300 for 50kg, oranges at Sh400 for 50kg and mangoes at Sh1 or Sh2 each, prices the farmers say are too low.

Meanwhile, farmers want the government to tarmac the road network in Kubo South in order to ease their access to markets.

Ms Alice Joseph, another farmer, said that oranges were rotting because of inadequate transport means to the Kombani and Kongowea markets.

Most farmers transport their fruits in sacks to collection points, where brokers can buy them. The fruits are then picked up in lorries and taken to markets.

“The county should ensure that they complete the roads on time, because transporting fruits to the market is a challenge. With a tarmac road, it will be much easier and we will spend less and save more,” she said.

Progress on setting up a fruit-processing plant is slow, as land disputes delayed the project, which was launched in 2018.

In 2020, Governor Salim Mvurya presided over a ground-breaking ceremony for the second phase of the Sh600 million plant in Shimba Hills, Kubo South.

He said at the time that the plant would be completed in phases by 2021, urging farmers to cultivate more fruits.

It is supposed to help farmers market their fruits, earning more income.

“It has been four years since the government promised to put up a fruit processing plant but it has not opened. As farmers, we are contemplating growing other crops so that we can provide for our families,” Ms Joseph said.

Kwale Director of Communications Daniel Nyassy said officials from the agriculture department would respond on the progress of the fruit processing plant on Friday.  BY DAILY NATION   

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