Pineapple farmers in Gatundu South and Gatundu North are counting huge losses after buyers rejected their fruits and chose cheap imports. Farmers who spoke to journalists said that even brokers who used to buy the fruits from them at low prices now buy cheap imports from neighboring countries.
One farmer stated: “Our fruits are rotting in the farms leaving us counting huge losses. Our potential markets have been flooded with cheap imports and even brokers who were buying the fruits at throwaway prices are no longer there. We are suffering from unfair competition. We have been left with no markets at all. We’ve resorted to selling the fruits by the roadside for Sh30 and Sh50. This is hurting our farming, our only source of income.”
Another farmer said that the government should regulate importation of farm produce such as pineapples that are locally produced to enable local farmers reap proceeds from their farming.
[Sh100 = €0.73 ]
Source: the-star.co.ke