Banana farmers want the Tanzanian government to set up special markets for the fruit

Speaking to this paper banana grower in Busokelo District Council in Rungwe District said farmers lack of special markets lead to some speculators to develop banana harvesting system for exploitation. One of the farmers, Samwel Mwakanyamale, said the lack of a reliable banana market was making even lower prices compared to the prices that other areas sell, including Kyela and Tukuyu. He said in the area a bunch of bananas which in some areas sell for 5,000/- now sell for between 2,000/- and 3,000/- due to buyers incurring shipping costs. "You can go through a farmer's field and see many bundles of ripe bananas and you think the man is rich but if you follow up you will find that he had spent the money many days ago after the harvest, so you find we serve bananas for traders," said Mwakanyamale. Recently during a visit by Malawian government officials to Mbeya Regional ...