Dar Es Salaam — AS apples from South Africa flood the local market, a Makete-based multimillion apple project is on the verge of collapse due to market inaccessibility.

The pathetic state of the access road to Ibada village where the project is based has rendered it impossible to haul hundreds of tonnes of apples to the market.

"We plan to hire youths to harvest the apples and distribute them freely to the villagers," the project promoter, Mr Elisha Mahenge told the 'Daily News' over the phone from Makete today.

He said that the apple project in Ibada village is eager to promote apple farming. The project started in 2003 on a 12-acre rootstock farm.

The project, in which the promoters says have invested over 30m/-, also involves planting of timber trees and livestock keeping.

"Makete has favourable climatic conditions for fruit farming - the project succeeded to sensitize people to plant apple trees but access to the market remains a serious problem," Mr Mahenge said.

He added that the 13-kilometre stretch from the main road to Ibada village's 12-acre farm was the most problematic: "Motor vehicles can hardly reach the village because the road is in pathetic state."

The project promoters have been struggling to sell the produce at the farm price of between 100/- and 150/- per fruit, but in vain.

"Despite the fact that market price of apples in Iringa averages between 400/- and 600/-, we decided to settle for 100/-, yet we could not get buyers," Mr Mahenge lamented, calling on the government to come into their rescue lest the 30m/- investment sink.

He also decried lack of extension officers in the district to help farmers in their strides to get out of abject poverty: "We are yet to feel the impact of the Kilimo Kwanza initiative here---we do not have extension officers, the infrastructure is poor".

Dar es Salaam and other major cities in particular, offers extensive market for South African apples that decorate almost all the supermarkets and street fruit vending stalls.