Farmers advised against buying seedlings from open markets

Farmers in Sebei region in the eastern Uganda have been advised not to buy seedlings from companies that have not signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Sebei Elgon cooperative.

The call was made last week by Elisha Bureto, the Manager, Sebei Elgon Cooperative, in an interview with theCooperator.

Bureto said this was meant to ensure that farmers in the region have access to quality seed 

“We do not want farmers to waste their energy and money planting poor seeds that will not yield them a good harvest,” Bureto said.

According to Bureto most farmers in Sebei region have been planting poor quality seeds that they buy from uncertified farms that sell seeds in open markets.

Rather, he advised the farmers to only buy seedlings from the cooperative which has got quality seeds at cheaper prices.

“Most of our farmers here are duped to buy fake seeds, and they buy them at high prices compared to buying from the cooperative,” he said.

Bureto also revealed that the cooperative had reached an agreement with some companies that will supply improved seed for farmers to use.

“We have companies that the cooperative has signed Memorandums of Understanding with to supply quality seeds and farmers can get them from the cooperative at cheaper prices,” he said.

Coffee woes

Meanwhile the coffee farmers in the region are worried of poor coffee yield that might not give them good harvest.

Mr. Joseph Chelimo one of the coffee farmers in Kaserem village in Kapchorwa district said most farmers didn’t prepare their gardens well because of the heavy rains.

“Last year’s rains continued and it didn’t give a chance for the farmers to prepare their gardens well including put fertilizers , so people planted coffee while it was raining which is not proper,” he said.

He noted that as a result many farmers have seen their coffee plantation not doing very well compared to the previous seasons.

Views: 0