Meru bags Sh3.7b from bananas annually - report

A banana seller arrives at the Ntharene market in Meru County on March 28, 2016. PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The farmers grow the crop on 9,715 hectares of land and produce 382,390 tonnes.
  • The report was presented to the assembly Wednesday evening following a statement sought by Abogeta West MCA Gideon Kimathi.
  • Meru is the leading banana producer in the country followed by neighbouring Tharaka-Nithi.

Meru County produces bananas worth Sh3.7 billion annually, a report presented to the county assembly shows.

According to a report by the department of agriculture, banana production has gradually changed from subsistence farming, with small-scale growers penetrating high-value markets.

The farmers grow the crop on 9,715 hectares of land and produce 382,390 tonnes.

The report was presented to the assembly Wednesday evening following a statement sought by Abogeta West member of the county assembly (MCA) Gideon Kimathi.

The county has established a banana cooperative in collaboration with the Kenya Agriculture Productivity and Agribusiness Project to ensure farmers get direct market access.

The department is also helping farmers to produce tissue culture banana seedlings to improve quality and increase yields.

The department is encouraging the formation of marketing groups and commercial villages.

BANANA WINE FACTORY

To tap into the increasing banana production in the county, a banana wine factory is being set up.

Meru is the leading banana producer in the country followed by neighbouring Tharaka-Nithi.

(READ: Meru County to export banana products)
The Meru government has helped establish markets and enabled growers to do value addition to earn more from bananas.

A number of groups are currently producing banana flour, which is sold by various supermarkets.

While opening the Meru Agricultural Society of Kenya show in June, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett hailed the county for being number one in banana production.

He said Meru had overtaken Kisii County.

“Meru has the greatest potential in agriculture. I have always known Kisii County as the main producer of bananas in Kenya but it has been overtaken by Meru,” he said.

He, however, encouraged farmers to pursue value addition for optimum profits.