A grape farmer and expert with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, Mr Nason Songo, displays to visitors a healthy grape tree at the Nane Nane Agricultural show in Dodoma recently. PHOTO| VALENTINE OFORO
What you need to know:
Official says all farms are in good shape and they are fully equipped with all the tools for growing the crop scientifically
Dodoma. Government efforts to revive grape farming in the central zone have started bearing fruits after farmers in Dodoma managed to cultivate more than 1500 acres of the crop.
Apart from the vast markets for the crop in Kenya and other countries in the continent, the growers still have reliable local markets, including wine processing companies such as the Central Tanganyika Wine Company (Setawico), Tanganyika Vineyard Company (Tavico) and Alcohol Enterprises.
According to the director of Research and Development (R&D) in the ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, Dr Leon Mroso, all farms are in good shape because they are fully equipped with all the tools necessary for growing the crop scientifically.
“We are trying our best to conduct regular training, especially on canopy management, pruning as well as managing diseases,” he said, adding that their efforts were however constrained by shortage funds.
He mentioned some of the grapes varieties that were being grown in the region as Black Rose Regina and Alphonce Lavelle.
“Our target is to ensure that grape farming comes to a full swing and highly benefit the farmers. We have many plans a head to have our mission accomplished,” he said.
Dr Mroso went on by revealing that if managed effectively, one acre of grapes could produce about 8 to 12 tonnes per season, which means a farmer, can stand a possible chance to fetch about Sh3.5 million per season.
“Most farmers here have for years now been striving to cultivate maize and other crops which are not friendly to semi-arid climate of the central zone, it’s a missed opportunity, I think it’s time they start focusing on cultivating grapes now,” he advised
He said the major challenge facing farmers is insufficient funds to take care for their crops because grapes takes about 2 years to reach the harvesting stage from the planting day.
