Tea farmers prepared their land but waited for tea seedlings in vain
Source: Kigali Today by EUPHREM MUSABWA.
Farmers from Nyamasheke District who work with Gisakura tea factory were urged to plant tea but since then they have waited for seedlings in vain.
Their farms have remained idle since the middle of 2018.
They say they have been told that the seedlings could be available in 2020.
Theogene Habiyambere one of the farmers said: “We have land on which we seek to grow tea but it is the factory that is supposed to give us seedlings to plant as well as fertilizers.”
Ruth Ntawiha, another farmer said that she has one hectare but has lacked seedlings to plant.
They said that delaying to plant has led them into huge losses.“ There are over five months and we waited for seedlings but in vain. If they had told us earlier, we would have grown sweet potatoes and now we would be harvesting as we keep on awaiting seedlings,” said Nkunzamahanga Jonas another farmer.
Yves Mungwakuzwe, The manager of the factory said that seedlings will be available within one year from today.
“We are preparing the seedlings this year which are about six million and then distribute by teaching farmers how to prepare seedlings on their own,” he said.
The factory management said that the tea seedlings will be distributed to farmers to increase the tea plantations area that is currently on 1,333 hectares.
Farmers need at least 700, 000 tea seedlings to be planted on 50 hectares.
“Meanwhile as they await tea seedlings to plant in 2020, they can be growing crops that take short time,” he said.
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