TRACK : RAILA MWANA MPOTEVU By Masai GTV GOSPEL

0701 KISII 001

BANANA PLANT  

KISII, January 7, 2011 KNA

By OMAE VINCENT/MENGE STEPHEN

     

The Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI) will construct and equip a banana processing plant in Kisii town at the cost of shs. 33.7 million.    

The Kisii Central District Agricultural Officer Mr. John Katimbwa said KRDI has already purchased equipments worth shs. 27 million and ferried them to the Kisii Farmers Training Centre site.

The DAO said a memorandum of understanding between KIRDI and the Ministry of Agriculture has already been signed to rehabilitate and expand a building at the ATC at the cost of 6.7 million to accommodate the equipments.

Mr. Katimbwa who was speaking to KNA today in his office said, the first phase of the project will process bananas into crisps while the second phase which will follow soon will process bananas into wine, cakes and flour among other products.

He said the processing plant will assist farmers to transport their produce to the factory at a subsidized cost which will ultimately push out middlemen currently exploiting the farmers in the area.

The DAO said a non Governmental organization known as Small Holders Horticulture and marketing program (SHoMaP)   has funded farmers in the area  to improve their farming activities while 2.1 million has been provided to improve road networks for easy transportation of farm produce to the market.

 Mr. Katimbwa appealed to the farmers who have benefited from the funds to utilize them wisely to uplift their standards of living.

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