BY JOACKIM KULE
Vanilla farmers in Kitabu sub-county, Bukonzo County East in Kasese district have revealed that they are stranded with the harvests after failing to get market.
The farmers argue that the prices of their once lucrative crop has severally lowered from shillings 10,000 to shillings 2,000 per kilogram.
Mrs. Regina Thabugha, a farmer from Kasebere – Kihungu village says despite harvesting ripe vanilla beans, they have failed to get buyers who would give them good prices to suit their expectations.
Mrs. Thabugha, who regrets having grown vanilla, explains that the money she used to pay the services of the night watchmen won’t be realized.
Mr. Joachim Bwambale, another farmer stresses that they are skeptical of meeting their children’s demands as schools reopen on Monday next week.
To his further disappointment, Bwambale says that last year, they sold their vanilla beans to some companies on credit and later realized that they had disappeared with their money.
Mr. Robert Kyana, the Kitabu Sub-county Chairperson notes that farmers have lost hope in growing vanilla and yet they do not have another alternative source of income to sustain their families.
But the Kasese Deputy RDC in-charge of Bukonzo County has severally advised the farmers to cut down their vanilla plantations for the purposes of planting food crops for food security and source of income.
Lt. Maate Magwara says the prices of vanilla are likely not to normalize as they used to be in the previous years.
ENDS
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