Floods wreck rice plantations in Kabuye

Rice farmers in Kabuye will not be able to harvest all their produce after heavy rains flooded their rice fields in North Rutongo yesterday. Théophile Ndayisenga, a government agronomist in charge of Kabuye wetland, said the flooding is related to a filter that Kabuye sugar mill constructed on river Nyabugogo. “The water is supposed to be filtered but because it contains a lot of debris, it clogs up thus preventing the passage of water which overflows onto the rice plantations causing a lot of destruction,” Ndayisenga saidNdayisenga further explained that the floods have led to low produce in terms of quality and quantity. “Usually we harvest up to 800 metric tons but that drops to 200 or even 100 metric tons in case of floods and the quality of rice is also poor when we experience floods. this season we were expecting to get more than 800 metric tons as we had increased the cultivated area but because of these floods we can’t expect more that 500 metric tons.” Thiru Navukkarasu, the General Manager of Kabuye sugar works told Sunday Times that the factory was ready to work with farmers to clean the river banks so as to avoid flooding. “We will offer our employees to help farmers to remove the debris and clean the river banks so that we can all benefit from the river,” Navukkarasu said. Tony Nsanganira, the State Minister of Agriculture also said the problem was well known by the ministry and promised help to the farmers soon.

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Floods wreck rice plantations in Kabuye