Simon Ayo, a farmer from Janda in Luwero district, ventured into passion fruit farming a year ago. Unfortunately, he began without the proper knowledge of which variety best suits his environment and market goals.
After encountering challenges with pests, diseases, and low yields, Ayo is now determined to identify the most productive and resilient passion fruit variety for commercial farming.
Ayo says he just bought seedlings from a roadside vendor without verifying their source. Unfortunately, most of them failed to grow.
He now understands the importance of purchasing certified, disease-free seedlings from reputable nurseries to ensure better germination, healthy plants, and higher yields in the long run.
Twaha Kakooza, a passion fruit grower with over ten years of experience, says each variety has unique qualities. Some are sweeter, others more disease-resistant or better suited for juice extraction, and farmers must choose based on market needs and environmental suitability.
Kakooza says, understanding the differences between varieties is key to successful farming.
“The small purple is very sweet and aromatic, which makes it popular in local markets, but it’s highly prone to diseases,” he explains.
“The yellow variety is stronger and more vigorous, making it suitable for areas prone to pests and diseases, though it’s not as sweet.”
He adds that the hard shell is rare and has a tough rind, but its unique flavour appeals to niche buyers.
“The giant passion fruit is mostly used for juice because of its size and aroma.”
However, Kakooza recommends the Kawanda hybrid, saying, “It combines sweetness, high yield, and disease resistance, ideal for Ugandan farmers.”
Gideon Zakke, an agronomist, strongly recommends the Kawanda hybrid for commercial farmers in Uganda.
“This variety was developed by the Kawanda Agricultural Research Institute to meet local challenges. It offers higher yields, matures quickly, and is resistant to major diseases such as woodiness virus and fusarium wilt,” Zakke explains.
He emphasises that choosing the right variety is just the first step. For successful commercial farming, practices such as regular pruning, integrated pest management, irrigation, and soil analysis are equally important.
Zakke also warns farmers to avoid buying seedlings from unverified sources.
“Certified nurseries provide healthy, disease-free seedlings that guarantee better performance in the field,” he notes.
