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: 29 March 2018; Hits: 11054

Farmer targets more income with rising demand for rare crops

Jesse Kioria's wife Kezia inspecting grafted hass avocado seedlings. The couple is cashing on the growing craze for 'wonder' fruits.

The rising craze for rare crops also known as ‘wonder’ crops such as pomegranate is now appealing to most farmers as they get attracted to the amount of money that these crops are able to fetch as compared with other crops that are grown by almost every farmer in large quantities hence flooding the market.

Most of the rare crops, mostly fruits, are gaining popularity because of the health benefits consumers expect to reap. It is, therefore, not surprising that the cost of ‘magic’ seedling and the fruits is high.

Nyeri County’s Jesse Kiorio has mastered the art of grafting in addition to using special methods of raising seedlings for farmers seeking to venture into this new farming.

RELATED STORY: Rare fruit fetches KSh2,300 per Kg in Kenya

In his eight metres by 15 metres greenhouse, Kiorio raises more than 20 types of crops alongside non-food trees.

Pomegranate is one of the fruits Kiorio has raised and it is fetching up to Sh500 shillings each. It is commonly consumed to stabilize the body by adding multiple ions and vitamins.

“This is not much of a surprise because one kilograme of pomegranate earn up to Sh1,000 in the few distribution outlets in the country. One fruit in Nairobi costs at least Sh150,” he says.

Hass avocado is another fruit he is grafting. The grafted avocado not only matures quickly, but also yields high quality fruits. In addition, it has prolonged shelf-life of up to 30 days. This allows for enough time to the exporters like Kakuzi Limited.

He also raises improved, rosemary herbs, tree tomatoes, kiwi, mangoes, passion fruits, among others.

Kiorio, who is always invited by Nyeri County government to facilitate various agricultural education field days, has taken the lead by growing some of the fruits. He is benefiting from the pepino melons, tree tomatoes or tamarillos.

His wife, Keziah, does not regret abandoning cabbage farming for these ‘wonder’ fruits.

“Cabbage used to do well. But the market used to be slim. The vegetables rotted away with our investment. Tamarillo and pepino melon are ever on demand, at times we sell nothing,” she said.

Most of their seedlings cost more than Sh100. The couple is planning to establish a bigger greenhouse of about half a million shillings to host 50,000 seedlings.

Kiorio can be contacted on +254722535987

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: 28 March 2018; Hits: 9172

Uasin Gishu farmers dump maize for pepper

pepper crop1 Pepper farmer harvesting the crop. Photo courtecy.

Some farmers from Uasin Gishu County, Kenya's food basket, have shifted to pepper cultivation at a time when maize has disappointed farmers.

October last year the government through the Ministry of Agriculture offered farmers Sh3,200 per 90kg bag of maize slightly above Sh3,000 for the same quantity of maize in 2016. However, the farmers declined the offer saying it is not enough as compared to their production costs.

The farmers needed Sh4,200 per 90kg bag of maize instead which the government was not ready to give further hurting the morale of the farmers.

In the fore front of pepper farming is a four acre farm in the county. The farm known as Rupa Fruits and Vegetables Farm is also introducing a farming revolution by contracting farmers to grow pepper on their behalf and getting paid.

Farmers in Uasin Gishu have predominantly relied on maize production as their source of income. So embedded is the maize farming that generations in the area have grown associating themselves with maize.

Uasin Gishu falls under the North Rift, an area christened as Kenya's food basket due to its high maize yield. Infact the area supplies 40 per cent of all maize in the country. But the over reliance on maize has worked against the farmers.

Diseases like Maize Lethal Necrosis, which has entered the country has been known to wipe entire maize farms. Failing rains have also interfered with the yields forcing the country to look for imports from neighbouring countries like Kenya and Uganda.

The volatile market prices and the exploitation of farmers by the middle men has dampened farmers' efforts to produce more. But Rupa farm is changing farming in North Rift, a pepper at a time. The crop has been doing well in the area due to the fact that it is best suited for the growing conditions that favour maize production.

RELATED NEWS: How to achieve maximum Sweet pepper yield

The farm has invested in two chilli pepper varieties Tabiche which turns red on maturing and Carolina cayenne which is green. “Like everyone else in this area we were also maize farmers. But when markets failed and we couldnt get anything of value from maize we decided to focus on pepper farming as a test. It never dissapointed,” said Wilson Cheruiyot the manager at the farm.

The crop has been a hit especially because of its fast maturity, taking two months to mature and selling at Sh350 per kilo. It has a high resistance for diseases and a farmer doesnt to invest a lot on agricultural inputs like fertilizer. Rupa Farm for example harvests 900 kilos each week with harvesting happening year round.

The market demand for the two different varieties by different customer base has increased fortunes for the company. For example, while the green pepper seems to be a favourite among consumers, which has seen the company package them in small packages and distribute them to retail stores in major towns, the red variety is preferred by companies involved in making chilli sauce.

To further motivate the farmers interested in chilli farming, they give the farmers free chilli seedlings and get them to sell the mature pepper at Sh70 a kilo on contract basis. Farmers who see the market value of growing pepper are dumping maize for the crop.

“Pepper is one of the crops that has not been utilized in the country despite a growing local and international market. If the farmers in this area can see the market value and move from just producing it to adding value, we can go really far as country,” said Wilson.

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: 26 March 2018; Hits: 8230

Government seed agency warns farmers of fake seeds in the market

SEEDS on display

Various seeds on display. KEPHIS is warning farmers of fake seeds in the market. The fake seeds don not germinate whereas others give poor yields.

Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), government parastatal responsible for quality of agricultural inputs and produce has found and confiscated 13,500kgs of fake seeds worth Sh2.5m which were intended to be sold to farmers this planting season prompting the agency to warn farmers against buying such seeds which may affect their yields.

The fake seeds were seized in a warehouse in Nakuru town at stores leased by the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) where 13.5 tonnes of uncertified seeds were found.

“Farmers should be keen when buying seeds. They should not purchase seeds not certified by KEPHIS. Most of them don not germinate whereas others give poor yields,” said KEPHIS managing director Esther Kimani.

RELATED ARTICLE: Fake seeds choke farms and earnings

Seeds seized during the search include maize, soybeans, sorghum and green grams seeds. These seeds were already packaged for distribution to farmers in various parts of the country.

“Our officers received information that some of the fake seeds were being sold to farmers. Some of dealers who were selling the seeds led us to the NCPD stores,” she said.

“It is regrettable that some of the uncertified seeds had already been sold to farmers in Molo, Nyahururu and Homa Bay.”

How to identify certified seeds

When buying seeds, farmers should first check the seed packages. The packages must be sealed and bear KEPHIS high-tech label stickers.

The stickers have a serial number beneath them. Therefore farmers are advised to scratch the stickers and SMS the serial number for free to 1393.

“After a moment they will receive an SMS feedback indicating the details of the seeds which include the seeds’ production company, date of production as well as the seeds’ lifespan,” said Ephraim Washira, Head of Inspectorate, Nakuru region.

“In case the seeds do not have the details as specified, farmers should immediately call to register their complains through our hotline +254 709891000.”

RELATED ARTICLE: How to spot fake seeds in the market

The high-tech label stickers were introduced July last year by Seed Trade Association of Kenya (STAK), in partnership with KEPHIS , Agri Experience, and Kenya Markets Trust in a bid to allow farmers to ascertain that the seeds they buy from stockists are genuine and certified.

Kenyans consume 100,000 bags of maize a day, yet the country’s maize yields are very low, averaging 1.66 metric tonnes per hectares, compared to 2.5 metric tonnes per hectares for Uganda and 3.42 metric tonnes per hectares for Ethiopia, according to Food and Agriculture Organisation statistics.

With cases of fake seeds, drought and post-harvest loses, the country will therefore continue importing maize to fill the gap in the demand against production.

Warnings

Besides warning farmers about fake dealers selling fake seeds, KEPHIS is also warning dealers and companies which could be involved in faking farmers that they will be charged according to the regulations acts in place.

“Those selling uncertified seeds should know that they will face court cases to answer once they are found. This has happened before and we are not relenting because we have to protect the farmer,” said Washira.

“Farmers and members of the public are also encouraged to report any cases of fake seeds to help the officers and the police net the unscrupulous business people.”

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The company caught in the Nakuru saga had been warned severally about selling fake seeds, Said Dr Kimani, adding that stern action will be taken against the guilty firms to serve as an example to others with similar intentions.

Kimani said KEPHIS will work with farmers and other stakeholders to ensure supply of quality seeds.

“The agency will not allow companies to mislead farmers by selling them counterfeit seeds. We will put in place stringent measures to save farmers.”

“Our officers will continue inspecting seeds sold in the country to ensure farmers are not lured by ill-mannered traders.”

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