The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Farmers in Kapelebyong district are shifting away from citrus farming after registering heavy losses. Government has been promoting citrus farming especially growing of oranges in Teso sub region to boost supply to Soroti Fruit Factory.
Several farmers ventured into the enterprise with the hope of reaping big from supplying oranges to the factory. However, the excitement is fading away as farmers continue registering disappointment because of low prices and the high cost of growing and maintaining orange trees.
Richard Alioka, a farmer in Acowa sub county says citrus farming has become very expensive to manage amidst challenges of low demand. Alioka says that he started orange farming in 2012 with five acres but notes that the management of orange trees is now costly than the output.
He told our reporter that he spends Shillings 2 million annually to maintain trees that he notes have not earned him more than one million Shillings in a season. He has now to change to livestock farming.
During the budget conference on Wednesday at Oditel Community Hall, Kapelebyong district Production and Marketing Officer, William Ejiet said that they are now promoting the production of cassava, fish farming, apiculture, livestock and growing of groundnuts instead of citrus.
He explained that several farmers who received inputs for citrus farming have recorded losses over the years as the plants wither in the gardens before harvest.
Simon Erwagu, the interim Kapelebyong district chairperson, says his people have been impoverished with the high costs of managing orange trees that he observed have not paid off.
Paul Opio, a farmer in Opucet village, Bugondo sub county in Serere Ddistrict cut down his 20-acre garden of oranges after a strange disease attacked the farm. He has replaced them with pine trees.
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