Banana theft on increase as Taita Taveta Governor issues warning

Majority of the farmers have abandoned banana farming because of the increased theft of the crop.

Taita Taveta County Governor John Mruttu said the wanton theft has adversely affected food production, left scores hungry and also frustrated wealth and employment creation.

He said hundreds of banana farmers mainly from Taveta sub-county have been suffering huge loses resulting from the theft.

"Farmers rely on banana farming to educate and feed their children, thus any form of interference with their agri-business is a major blow to them," said Mr Mruttu.

Saying that the region is regarded as the bread basket of the Coast region, Mruttu said local farmers efforts are being frustrated by uncontrolled stealing of the bananas, mangoes, apples, and coconuts among other crops.

The bulk of banana produce sold at the Kongowea market in Mombasa come from the county.

Farmers interviewed said marauding thieves invade the farms under the cover of darkness but some daring ones do so even during the day.

"We have been investing heavily in farming activities but at the end of the day, we end up getting nothing from our farms owing to stealing," said Charles Katuta, a banana farmer in Mboghoni who has since abandoned the crop.

Addressing teachers, parents and pupils at Rekeke Primary School after distributing over 500 shoes to pupils yesterday, the governor warned the youths against stealing saying they risk arrest if found.

The shoes were donated by the Kenya Red Cross to help improve the standard of education in the school, which had been performing poorly in national examinations.

Cases of food theft are common even in other parts of the county, which perennially experiences famine due to unrelenting drought.

Farmers have guard their crops not only from the thieves but also marauding elephants.