Brief news on farming and agribusiness from across the country

A fisherman in Siaya County sorts fish. Fish traders in Busia have cried foul over unfair competition from their Ugandan counterparts. FILE PHOTO | NMG

What you need to know:

  • The traders said those from the neighbouring country are taking advantage of the free trade to ferry their produce directly to Nairobi, therefore, hurting business for Kenyan traders.
  • Ugandan chairman of Busia Cross Border Traders Association Patrick Kenyatta called on both governments and other stakeholders to sensitise traders on harmonised business relationships.
  • The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (Kalro) has initiated a programme to promote the growing of indigenous fruit trees, vegetables and legumes.

Fishy cross border trade hurts traders

Fish traders in Busia have cried foul over unfair competition from their Ugandan counterparts.

The traders said those from the neighbouring country are taking advantage of the free trade to ferry their produce directly to Nairobi, therefore, hurting business for Kenyan traders.

“They are selling a kilo of fish at Sh300 to retailers in Nairobi, the same price they sell to us here, yet we are competing for the same market,” said Lena Ouma, a fish trader.

She added some fish is smuggled through the border and is therefore not inspected by the health officers in Busia.

Selina Ouma, another trader, lamented that the Ugandans sell them smaller fish and take to Nairobi the bigger ones thus locking them out of the market.

Some of the Ugandans, she added, have been selling the fish on credit as opposed to Kenyans who sell cash.

The traders were speaking in Busia during the inaugural Fish Expo that brought together stakeholders from Kenya and Uganda.

The expo was organised by World Fish, an NGO, running the Fish Trade Project. Project manager Idris Ali said the initiative aims at addressing challenges in the fish trade across borders in Africa.

Ugandan chairman of Busia Cross Border Traders Association Patrick Kenyatta called on both governments and other stakeholders to sensitise traders on harmonised business relationships.

– Rachel Kibui

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Kalro in new push to boost neglected crops

The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (Kalro) has initiated a programme to promote the growing of indigenous fruit trees, vegetables and legumes.

The crops include guavas, whose vitamin C content is higher than that of oranges, and is known to be medically helpful.

Others are pomegranate, an antioxidant that reduces cancer causing elements, teff (popular cereal in Ethiopia/Eritrea), aerial yams, jack fruits, fostail millet, moringa (rich in calcium) and gooseberry.

“Many of these crops existed in 60s, 70s and early 80s, but were abandoned due to ‘civilisation’. We want households to move their focus from reliance on maize and beans and start growing more nutritious and easily adaptable high nutrient and fibre-content foods crops,” said Dr Lusike Wasilwa.

Wasilwa advised farmers to get assistance from the 52 Kalro centres in 37 counties on planting materials.

– Peter Musa