The Union of Orange Growers in the Muheza district, Tanga has asked the government to form an orange board, as other crops have boards, in order to rescue the crop from low prices and losses that they face every harvest season.
They said the board should have laws, regulations and guidelines that will protect their product. Apart from that advice, also has once again remained the government its frequently promise of building orange processing factory at Segera ward in Handeni district junction of Tanga - Segera, Arusha - Segera and Segera - Chalinze highway.
Union of Orange Growers Chairman, Nassoro Juma said that from that time to date, orange growers continue suffering losses for two reasons: one, during orange high season harvesting, there is high competition for lower prices among farmers themselves and, second: many oranges ended up falling from the tree and rotting.
"Only few farmers with marketing skills and large capital benefits with this citrus crop because are hiring lorries and taking their crops to inside and outside countries marketplaces, but small growers who possessing between 1-5 acres of orange trees, ended up with losses and earning only a little money, because there is no stable price," he said.
Source: IPPMedia