Vanilla farmers protest low prices

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Vanilla farmers in Rubirizi District have on Monday staged a demonstration over the continued decrease in prices in the district.

Led by their chairperson Ssebugwawo Fabian, farmers noted that a kilogram that used to be sold at sh30,000 has since declined to between sh2000 and sh5000.

They now want the Ministry of Agriculture to intervene and provide markets for their crop since it's been their major source of income.



“I planted two acres of vanilla that I can’t even eat as food,” said Ssebugwawo who said he was contemplating removing the crop from his farm.

Isameli Twinomujuni, a vanilla farmer, said that they risk losing property to banks because they have been using loans to invest in the crop.



Meanwhile, Sylvia Katushabe, the Katnda sub-county senior agriculture officer, accused some district officials of introducing a market monopoly that has affected vanilla prices in the district.