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Uganda: Coffee farmers cry for help

Chemusto, shows UCDA officials the effect of the leaf rust disease (Photo: Courtesy of The New Vision)

By Ronald Kalyango
Reuters via The New Vision

October 10, 2010

COFFEE farmers in Bugisu sub-region, affected by the leaf rust and coffee berry diseases have asked the Government to save them.

“If the Government does not intervene now, we shall not export any crop next year. This is our top income-earner,” said Wilson Chemusto, a farmer in Kapchorwa district.

Chemusto was on Friday briefing officials from the Uganda Coffee Development Authority, led by Henry Ngabirano, the managing director, during a field tour of the affected gardens in the district.

“We are looking for solutions to save the country’s coffee sector,” said Ngabirano.

Leaf rust, which farmers said broke out in June, has spread throughout Mbale, Sironko, Bududa, Kapchorwa, Bulambuli, Kwen and Manafwa districts.

It mainly affects coffee leaves, turning them into pale-yellow on the surface and orange beneath.

Consequently, prices of red cherries have doubled to sh1,200 per kilo from sh600.

While the parchments (pulped beans) have risen to sh5,000 from sh3,250. The harvest season for Arabica coffee stretches from March to September.

According to Ngabirano, leaf rust requires good management practices like applying of regular fertilisers, pruning and spraying of the affected trees.

He advised farmers that when the disease persists, the immediate solution was to strip off all the berries from the tree.

“We do not have immediate solutions but UCDA intervenes through demonstrations and educating of farmers. We are going to task our agronomists and extensionists to advise farmers to overcome the problems,” said Ngabirano.

Mike Maliro, the UCDA eastern regional manager, informed farmers that three fungicides; Copper Nordox 50, Copper Nordox 75 and Kocide 101 had been selected for controlling the berry disease, leaf rust and suppressing bacterial blight respectively.

He also revealed that scientists at the Buginyanya Zonal Agricultural Research Institute were in final stages of developing alternative insecticide application strategies to reduce costs and enhance efficiency of pest control.

“I have been spraying twice a month but the disease has continued because my neighbours have not responded. We want massive spraying of the coffee spearheaded by the Government,” Chemusto added.

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