Smart farms

: 24 April 2018; Hits: 13970

Flowers, fruits and vegetables export increases Kenya’s earnings by Sh89bn

kenya flower exporters

Export of horticulture crops such as flowers, fruits and vegetables among others has earned Kenya Sh305bn in 2017 as compared to Sh216bn in the previous year translating to Sh89bn increase as spurred by compliance with the export market requirements by majority of exporters especially to the European Union (EU).

In overal, the sales of horticultural produce exported in 2017 was Sh115bn, which is an increase as compared to Sh101.5bn in 2016, according to statistics by the Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya (FPC Kenya).

There was an increase of 16 per cent, 14 per cent and 2.9 per cent in the total metric tonnes of flowers, fruits and vegetables respectively which were exported in 2017 representing over 41 per cent production by farmers.

“Domestic cut flowers, fruits and vegetables production value has been growing over the years as reflected by the figures,” said Okesegere Ojepat, chief executive officer of Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) of Kenya.

According to the statistics, cut flowers still remains the largest earner, contributing over 70 per cent of the total fresh produce annual earnings.

Flower exports contributed Sh82.24 billion, up from Sh70.83 billion earned in 2016, representing 11.6 per cent growth, on export volume of 159,961 tonnes.

Fruits and vegetables earned Sh9 billion and Sh24 billion, on export volumes of 56,945 tonnes and 87,240 tonnes respectively in 2017.

Ojepat was speaking at the official launch of FPC Kenya, which rebranded from Kenya Association of Fruits to Vegetable Exporters.

“The rebranding begins to widen our mandate to cover even more areas especially domestic market, we have never coordinated well and which offers us capacity to engage with more players, and enabling us to extend our membership and grow the sector,” he said.

Horticultural Crops Directorate (HCD) stats

On the other hand, Kenya’s HCD statistics on horticultural crops export between January – September 2017 and 2016 indicates that there was an increase in metric tonnes of the crops exported by over 32 per cent.

A total of 159,961 and 133,658 metric tonnes of cut-flowers valued at Sh82,249m and Sh70,829m were exported in January - December 2017 and 2016 respectively, this represent an increment of 20 percent and 16 percent in volume and value respectively.

Another total of 56,945 and 48,658 metric tonnes of fruits valued at Sh9,009m and Sh7,652m were exported between January and December 2017 and 2016 respectively.

A total of 87,240 metric tonnes of vegetables valued at Sh24,065m were exported in 2017 compared to 78,790 metric tonnes valued at Sh23,367m the previous year. This represents an increase of 11 percent in the quantities sold and 3 per cent in value.

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: 24 April 2018; Hits: 20469

Mushroom value addition earns a Kakamega youth group Sh2,600 more

Mushrooms Emmanuel Wasike, a group member who was selling the produce during the Kakamega County Agricultural Society of Kenya Show

Emmanuel Wasike, Galaxy United Youth Group member while selling the produce during the Kakamega County Agricultural Society of Kenya Show. Photo: Laban Robert.

Galaxy United Youth Group in Kakamega County ventured in mushroom value addition to make products such as mushroom flour and soup among others earning the group Sh3,000 per kilo of mushroom sold against Sh400 per kilo of fresh mushroom.

The group which was formed in 2006 through an initiative by Paul Nyongesa Kisiangani, masters graduate from Masinde Muliro University, had is key purpose to bring once jobless youths together und the fungi farming. Members therefore, were only engaged in selling fresh mushroom to their customers until an idea cropped up that value addition could earn them more cash.

“We used to sell fresh mushrooms to our customers until around 2015 when through my research I realized that if only we could add value to our produce we could reach further and more markets and sell it at a higher price,” said Nyongesa.

RELATED NEWS: Healthy eaters craving mushrooms

By a locally fabricated solar drier made of timber, greenhouse polythene papers and shed nets, the group is now able to dry their mushrooms before grinding them into powderthat are packed under Galaxy Mushroom brand name then sold to supermarkets and some of the fresh produce groceries within Kakamega town, Kisumu, Eldoret, Busia and Bungoma among others.

“The value addition has earned us more markets as we can now sell our products in faraway markets such as markets in Nairobi and Mombasa.”

The two cities are approximately 358km and 840km respectively away from Kakamega.

The 32 member group which invested Sh80,000 which was purely from the contributions of the members is now running about Sh4m oyster mushroom production business in the western region.

“The market was low at the start, but we kept pressing because we knew the potential in the delicacy. Today, Galaxy Youth Group is a household name in the leading supermarkets in the country and homes of oyster mushroom lovers,” said Nyongesa.

RELATED NEWS: How to grow mushrooms for export

Financial benefits of mushrooms

The group harvests at least 1.5 tonnes of oyster mushrooms every month from about seven propagation houses, which they sell as dry or fresh vegetable.

A kilo of dry mushroom is sold at Sh3,000 while the same amount of fresh mushrooms fetches Sh400. If the 1.5 tonnes are sold after drying, they rake in a gross income of Sh4.5m while fresh one fetches Sh600,000.

“It takes Sh110 to produce one kilogramme of fresh mushrooms. At least Sh1,100 is required to produce one kilo of dry mushroom. The dry mushroom is packed into 50 grammes for easy selling. But packing into kilos on special orders is also available,” said Nyongesa.

This means that the group spends Sh1.65m in producing 1.5 tonnes of dry mushroom, leaving them with a net profit of Sh2.85m.

On the other hand, Sh165,000 is spent in producing fresh mushrooms, which leaves them with a net income of Sh435,000.

According to Nyongesa, the group will soon start making mushroom soup which he says has a good potential market in the region and beyond.

“Apart from the mushroom soup, we also want to make a special porridge flour for the children as we target some of the ECD centres from the surrounding.”

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: 23 April 2018; Hits: 21586

Masters graduate creates own job with mushroom farming in Kakamega

mushroom kisiangani

After working for United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) as a progaramme officer in Taita Taveta and Kwale counties between 2015 and 2017, Paul Nyongesa Kisiangani has decided to leave employment to focus on mushroom production, a venture that he started in 2005 while still in school and which has since employed a group of 32 youth earning them about Sh4m a month.

Kisiangani while pursuing Masters of Science in Disaster Management and Sustainable Development in Masinde Muliro University in 2005, started oyster mushroom farming in a 3.5x3.5 metre room which was one of the rooms in his three bedroom house he rented in Amalemba Estate in Kakamega County.

“I did this to test what the venture could earn me. I was pleased that whatever little production then could rake me about Sh20,000 per month which I used to support my education and settle my bills as well,” said Kisiangani.

RELATED STORY: There is clean money in mushrooms

In 2008, he increased the area under mushroom production from his small room to a half an acre piece of land which he bought at Sh400,000, thanks to the Sh10,000 support he got from his wife and others from loan application.

“I have so far increased the acreage from a half an acre to an acre which accommodats seven mushroom production units measuring 4x6 metres each and I am able to harvest 10-20 kilos of the crop daily.”

He sells a kilo of fresh mushroom at Sh400 earning him between Sh4,000 and Sh8,000 per day. His markets includes fresh horticulture crops retail shops in Eldoret, Kisumu, Nairoi, Kakamega and individuals from the surrounding.

Formation of a Youth Group

Nonetheless, while hustling for a job upon graduation in 2005, Kasiangani initiated the formation of Galaxy United Youth Group in 2006, the group which has 32 members currently, all being youth mushroom farmers. Kisisngani is the director of the youth group.

“We decided to form this group to up our production in order to win more tenders by supper markets and crop retailers as we eye export markets,” said Kisiangani.

The group now owns a shop in Kakamega Town, the shop which acts as their mushroom collection centre and an office where they hold meetings among other operations.

Dry mushroom

The group has locally fabricated solar drier made from timber, green house polythene papers and shed nets to form a rack where they dry the mushrooms before grinding the mushrooms into powder and package them under Galaxy Mushroom brand for markets.

“We decided to dry and gind into powder the mushrooms to increase their shelf-life and increase their value in the market,” said Kisiangani.

A kilo of dry and powdered mushroom fetches Sh3000 against Sh400 of fresh mushroom. Other than increasing their market value, the group has extended their supply to further markets like Mombasa, which is more than 860 kilometres from Western.

Other markets added in the list include Busia, Bungoma and Kitale where the group supply one of the leading products retail chain in western region.

RELATED STORY: Healthy eaters craving mushrooms

During dry season the group can produce around 200 kilos of dry mushroom while in rainy season the production triples to 600 kilos a day totaling to about 1.5 tonnes a month.

One kilogramme of dry mushroom is sold at Sh3,000 while a similar fresh amount fetches Sh300. If the 1.5 tonnes are sold after drying, they rake in a gross income of Sh3.9 million while fresh one bring in Sh450,000.

However, after deducting production costs which is about Sh1.7m, the group remains with Sh4m to divide among themselves depending on the contribution of individual group member.

Future plan

According to Kisiangani, he is planning to turn the group into a centre of excellence in mushroom production and agribusiness in Kakamega.

“We want to target as many youth as possible who are interested in mushroom farming or any other agribusiness venture.”

He says they are also moving towards more value addition on mushroom to make mushroom soup and mushroom nutri-flour which is best for small children as they target ECD centres.

“Mushrooms are rich in potassium, calcium, sodium, phosphorous and proteins. Calcium and phosphorus are key in strong bone and teeth formation while sodium and potassium help in response and coordination process. Deficiency of the minerals leads to health challenges like goiter in the case of sodium.”

Kisiangani is also a BSC in Horticulture graduate from Egerton University in 2000.

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