Teso citrus farmers counting losses after pests and diseases attack gardens
SOROTI, 25 March 2025 – Citrus farmers in the Teso Subregion are facing significant losses after pests and diseases attacked their fruits, which were almost ready for market delivery.
Robert Ogalo, a citrus farmer and resident of Ochapa Subcounty in Serere district, who owns 800 orange trees, said that farmers are experiencing low yields due to the attack of fungal and bacterial diseases on the fruit.
Ogalo explained that farmers lack knowledge about which pesticides to use for spraying, and some have resorted to using counterfeit products, which ultimately affect the quality of the oranges.
Ogalo’s hopes of earning around Shs 2 million have been dashed as he is left with only a few oranges to sell.
“Another issue is the harsh weather conditions, which have caused our orange trees to dry up,” Ogalo said.
He has since appealed to the government to support farmers with small irrigation systems, so they can water their trees, particularly during the dry season.
Tony Ekeu, another fruit farmer from Kyere Subcounty in Serere district, who has one acre of land planted with orange trees, noted that the cost of treating pests and diseases has become prohibitive for many farmers. “The cheapest treatment costs Shs 150,000,” he said, adding that this is despite the fact that oranges are fetching low prices.
James Elungat, the Agriculture Officer for Katakwi district, explained that one of the pests affecting farmers is the orange dog. He stated that they are providing farmers with knowledge on how to manage their orchards.
“Farmers have abandoned their orchards and are not managing them properly,” Elungat said.
According to him, the low prices of oranges have discouraged farmers from tending to their farms, thus allowing pests and diseases to proliferate.
Elungat urged citrus farmers to form cooperatives, as this would provide them with stronger bargaining power and allow them to purchase inputs at lower prices.
In an effort to support the citrus farmers in Teso, Soroti Fruit Factory and the African Power Initiative have partnered to address the challenges of pests, fungal, and bacterial diseases, with the aim of improving farmers’ livelihoods.
Nancy Kemugisha, Chief Chemist at African Power Initiative, stated that they will provide non-organic chemicals to tackle pest and disease problems, which will, in turn, improve the yields from the orchards.
Julius Martine Ekomu, Executive Director of Soroti Fruit Factory, mentioned that the factory plans to purchase an additional 1 million kilogrammes of oranges from local farmers during the orange season, which occurs between May and June.
Ekomu commended the African Power Initiative for stepping in to support citrus farmers in the Teso Subregion.
The Minister for Teso Affairs, Kenneth Ongalo Obote, urged farmers in Teso to remain patient and not to cut down their orange trees, assuring them that the factory’s expanded capacity would be able to process all the fruit.
https://thecooperator.news/teso-citrus-farmers-benefit-as-training-centre-is-opened/
Buy your copy of thecooperator magazine from one of our country- wide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news
Views: 0
