KASESE – Kasese district apple farmers have a reason to smile after receiving 70,000 seedlings from the National Agricultural Advisory Services [NAADS].
The farmers received the seedlings days ago through Operation Wealth Creation [OWC], a government programme initiated by government to help farmers in Uganda create wealth through commercial agriculture.
The chairperson of Kasese Apple Growers Organisation [KAGO], John Kamadi said they opted to grow apples to improve their household incomes.
“I commend NAADS for the support they always give us because we have benefited a lot from them. Through our organization [KAGO], we have since 2016 received 500,000 apple seedlings which have been beneficial to us,” he said.
Kimadi said this time round the benefiting farmers are those of Busongora North in Kasese district.
He added that mountainous areas were found to have favorable weather condition for apple growing than the low lands.
The Kasese district deputy chief administrative officer, Beatrice Katusabe said about 1,195 farmers and 35 groups are expected to receive the apple seedlings.
She said government spent Shs 630mln on the apple seedling which will be distributed to farmers.
“Each apple seedling costs Shs 9,000 and government has injected in that money so that you can benefit as farmers. Shs 9,000 is expensive if they farmers are buying these seedlings themselves. I appeal to you [apple farmers] to use these seedlings effectively so that you can benefit,” she said.
Katusabe urged farmers to keep records so that they can know their income and expenditure as well as profits.
She said commodities like apples are very important they are targeted by government’s major programme of industrialisation.
The Kasese district vice chairperson LCV, Ham Natuhwera appealed to extension workers to work closely with farmers for better results.
“Farmers need support from extension workers so that they improve the farming methods and practices,” he said.
He said planting stage is very important for farmers to be guided by the extension stage so that the seedlings are not put to waste.
The OWC coordinator for Kasese district, Rtd Lt.Col.Bernabas Mughongo assured farmers of ready market for the apples.
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