IF JAPAN IS INTERESTED IN OUR BANANAS WE SHOULD EXPLOIT THE OPPORTUNITY

Japan interested in Bushenyi bananas
By Paul Aruho

Posted Tuesday, August 9 2011 at 00:00

Bushenyi
As the construction of a banana processing factory in Bushenyi District comes to completion, the Japanese government has already shown interest in its products.
A delegation from Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) on Friday visited the factory premises at Nyaruzinga to assess the progress and inspect the soon-to-start facility. The pilot study and construction of the factory under the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development (PIBID), was launched in 2005.

Great step
PIBID director Florence Muranga said the coming in of Japanese government is a great step in the marketing of their products on the world market. She called upon district leadership in Bushenyi to make people take commercial growing of bananas a serious venture since it has been a subsistence crop for a long time.
The director JETRO Nairobi office, Mr Hiroki Nagamine, said their mission in Uganda is to promote exportation of products to overseas. “This is a great product that can have good market in Japan. Many Japanese have interest in matooke flour and through this, I hope we could deepen our relationship with Uganda,” Mr Nagamine said. He said during the exhibition in Japan early this year, PIBID was among the best exhibitors.
An official from JETRO Japan, Ms Fumiko Uno, said Japan is interested in raw material from Africa. She said Japan bakeries will need over 20 metric tonnes of banana flour per month. Dr Muranga assured Japan of a quality product such that they can stay afloat in the world market.