Proper harvesting of matooke is a critical step in ensuring quality, reducing post-harvest losses, and maintaining market value.
Many commercial farmers emphasise that this process must be handled with care to avoid damaging the fruit and to support consistent yields.
Naswirah Nalukwago, a matooke farmer from Kashenyi village in Isingiro district, says timing is everything.
“We harvest when the bunch is mature but still green. If you wait too long, the fingers start ripening, which reduces shelf life and market value, and when cutting, we make sure the machete is clean to avoid transmitting diseases like banana bacterial wilt,” she says.
According to Isaac Malinga, a farmer from Kapchorwa, care during harvesting also affects the plant’s future productivity.
“We cut the bunch carefully without injuring the pseudostem,” he says.
“If damaged, the sucker that’s supposed to grow next may not thrive.”
He also stresses harvesting early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid heat stress on the fruit, which can cause early ripening or shrivelling.
On the commercial end, Isma Kavule, a matooke trader and transporter, underscores the importance of handling during and after harvest.
“Some farmers drop the bunches on the ground or pile them carelessly. That causes bruising, and when I transport them to Kampala or other markets, the damaged fingers rot quickly,” he says.
Kavule advises using soft padding in trucks and arranging bunches in a way that avoids pressure points.
“Even when loading, we use ropes and lift, not drag. Customers can tell if a bunch was handled roughly, they reject it,” he adds.
Matooke should be harvested when the angularity of the fingers reduces, indicating maturity. Clean, sharp harvesting tools should always be used, and post-harvest, bunches should be kept in a shaded, cool area before transportation.
