Farmers hold trade show to mark festive season

Exhibitors showcase a variety of processed products. PHOTO BY MICHAEL J SSALI 

Farmers and other stakeholders in the Masaka sub-region spent a bit of their festive holiday attending the ongoing Farmers, Trade and Technology Show in Masaka Municipality.
It was opened two days before Christmas, and will close next Sunday January 3, 2016.
More than 150 exhibitors from across the country are expected to have attended the event by the time it closes.

One of the show organisers, Eddie Kamala, said it was arranged to provide an alternative form of leisure and relaxation to the usual “boozing and dancing” at the many beaches, which are thronged by holiday makers during the festive season.
“Most people in this region are farmers and this is an opportunity for families to come and see what other farmers can produce and to learn all about value addition and modern farming technologies,” Kamala told Seeds of Gold.
“There are also leisure activities for children and other forms of entertainment for the older age groups.”

Attract many exhibitors
This time, exhibitors did not to pay any money for stalls. “We want all those farmers that have good products to come and show them to the general public so that other people can learn from them. If we charge money for the stalls, some of our very good farmers and food processors might opt not to participate.”

Some exhibitors were lent tarpaulin sheets and poles to erect their own stalls. Jorumat Agro Investments are one of the impressive exhibitors.
At their stall were large bunches of bananas and banana suckers said to be of very high quality. There was also had a breed of dairy goats, which are raised on their farm.
They also exhibited Banana Plantation Herbal Mixture, which they described as very effective in fighting against banana weevils and other pests.

Value addition on display
Noah’s Ark World Wide displayed products which include processed millet and soya porridge, millet-soya, groundnut-simsim, groundnut and cassava-millet mixes, roast simsim, peanut butter, honey, beverages from okra, and liquid soap.
Kabukorwa Farmers Association, from Lwengo District displayed bottled banana wine and other related products.

Family Immune Products, who are based in Kawempe and Maganjo in Kampala, displayed processed products such as hibiscus juice, avocado tea powder.
Repro Company Uganda displayed processed products from pineapple.
A lot of space has been allocated to Rubaga-based Jjajja Ndawula Science Machinery Club in which was displayed locally fabricated farm machinery and other tools. Ronald Makubire displayed one of the machines used for crushing oil from avocado, jackfruit and seeds from other fruits.

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