By John Majau
The County Government of Meru has moved to scale up banana crop production and trade in a bid to boost profits for farmers in the county.
According to the county Agriculture CEC Mrs. Carol Mutiga, efforts to boost banana production in the region are in top gear, including the construction of a banana winery that will not only ensure value addition to the crop but also ensure farmers are not exploited by middlemen.
The banana winery that is located in Abogeta East has been under construction in phases and was first launched by Meru governor Kiraitu Murungi in 2017. It is expected to be completed by the year 2023.
The winery targets to raise the income of dejected farmers who have been falling prey to middlemen buying bananas at extremely low prices.
To wade off brokers, the county government has developed a crop policy that will enable farmers to sell their bananas per Kilogramme as opposed to the wholesale methods employed by middlemen.
“The new policy seeks to put a minimum price of Sh.15 to Sh.65 per kilogramme depending on type and variety,” said Mrs. Mutiga.
She also called on farmers to adopt smart farming techniques and treat agriculture as a profession.
“Agricultural activities have become an integral part of our economy because it has created income and various employment opportunities. l therefore urge anybody who wants to venture into farming to treat it as any other job out there,” she said.
The county government has embarked on a training programme for all banana farmers that will ensure they adopt smart farming in order to boost yields.
The ongoing exercise aims at educating the farmers on the right application of certified seeds for maximum returns.
Currently there are 2,200 farmers involved in banana farming in Meru County, with the majority being found in South Imenti.
