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Farmers reject OWC pineapple suckers
What you need to know:
- Challenge. The farmers claim the suckers supplied under Operation Wealth Creation Programme are infected with the same pests they have been battling.
Ntungamo.
Farmers in Itojo Sub-county, Ntungamo District, have rejected pineapple suckers supplied to them under the Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) programme after finding out that they were infected with pests.
The pests eat the stems and dry up the pineapple. Mr Edson Bamwesigye, the farmers’ chairperson, on Monday said they have been battling the same pests in their gardens.
“We have a challenge of pests that cause the suckers to rot and eat up the fruit, we asked for suckers from Operation Wealth Creation, but when they were brought, 90 per cent had the same pest and some were rotten,” said Mr Bamwesigye.
The district agriculture officer, Ms Esther Atwine, advised the farmers to use common pesticides to fight the pests.
Col Fred Tumwebaze, the district OWC coordinator acknowledged receiving the farmers’ complaint, adding that his office would investigate the matter and if possible, supply new suckers.
The wealth creation officials paid Shs70-80 for each of the 14,000 suckers delivered last weekend.
Mr Mryes Tashobya, the Buhanama parish councillor, said OWC officials got suckers from Luweero, Masaka and Kayunga districts.
The numbers
2,000
The number of farmers engaged in pineapple commercial production in Itojo. The area is the leading pineapple producer in the district.
