Farmers in Kisii County have been asked to take advantage of the overseas market for the avocado fruit which does well in the region as a cash crop option.
Speaking on Wednesday morning while addressing farmers in Riochungo area, Baas sub-county micro-finance officer Samwel Matonda has asked farmers to adopt avocado farming as an option to tea, coffee and bananas in the area.
He assured farmers of the county government’s commitment to ensuring a better market in the US and China.
“We produce and use little of the fruit and we have no better market for the same fruit, but be assured that our county government is looking for better markets abroad,” Matonda said.
Farmers have also welcomed the idea for the better and viable economy in the area and county at large.
They are optimistic that even service delivery shall be efficient once the county revenues improve through avocado farming
Every homestead at least has not less than five avocado trees in the region and now urged to plant more as they can be used as shades as well
The area assistant chief Tomas Nyansimera echoed the message that a lot of the produce either is fed to cows and goats and little consumed by the locals due to lack of a good market.
“We have a lot of the produce here but little do we use or sell due to lack of market and this is perishable fruit. The government has come in good time to help us have the produce get market and now we must take it positively especially the youth,” said the chief.
Youth who attended the event promised to take avocado farming into account as an alternative source of income.
“We promise to do as much as we can so as not to fail this opportunity, we thank the government for such an a move to empower us,” said Onditi Joshua.