Smart farms

: 09 October 2018; Hits: 42783

Seed company launches kales variety which is best for ulcer patients

Mfalme F1 kales variety. It matures between 45-60 days and is good for uncers patients as it does not have acidic contents. Photo: Zablon.

East African Seed Co. Ltd (EASEED) has launched Mfalme F1 kales variety which do not have acidic substances such as quinic, malic, malonic and citric acids as most vegetables in the market hence they are best for ulcers patients.

According to the company’s agronomist, the variety is a combination between parent plants' characteristics of cabbage and kales making the variety loved by most consumers.

“Mfalme F1 is currently favoured by most farmers and traders alike because it does not have any side effects on consumers.”

According to a research published in 2015 on Composition of Major Organic Acids in Vegetables and Spices by Līga Prieciņa and Daina Karklina, spices contain higher total organic acid content than vegetables and these acids contents are only significantly decreased by steaming as pre-treatment.

People with ulcers have acid reflux diseases and certain foods can affect the lower part of the esophagus allowing the acid and stomach contents to back up in the esophagus, to reduce these risks avoid acidic foods such as citrus, tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce or tomato juice, according to researchers.

Mfalme F1 matures between 45-60 days depending on agronomical practices and regions. And ones harvesting starts, a farmer can enjoy one full year harvesting and profit.

The variety is also resistant to pests and diseases such as powdery mildew, white flies and aphids among others.

A farmer can harvest 70 and 90kg bags every day.

Currently a 50kg sack of kales goes at between Sh1,880 and Sh3,300 in major towns and cities in Kenya and this variety can even fetch more because of its benefits to consumers.

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Wednesday, 15 September 2021 [quote=Moses simiyu]1 kg of this seeds variety goes for how much??[/quote] Hi...

Friday, 10 September 2021 1 kg of this seeds variety goes for how much??

Tuesday, 06 April 2021 [quote=Lydia]Does syngenta malkia kales have a small packet and at how much[/quo...

Thursday, 01 April 2021 Does syngenta malkia kales have a small packet and at how much

: 08 October 2018; Hits: 17976

Company sells improved Longstroth beehives that doubles honey yields

the hive beehives

H.E. President Kenyatta of Republic of Kenya visits The Hive stand during the just concluded Nairobi Internation Trade Fair at Jamhuri Grounds in Nairobi. Photo courtesy.

The Hive Group, a supplier of modern beekeeping equipment in African is selling an improved version of Longstroth beehives called CAB hives that increases honey yields two fold from six kilos to 12 kilos in about six months hence improving farmers’ income.

“CAB hives can give double yields as compared to Longstroth beehives and can give farmers ability to produce six times more than the traditional hives,” said Victor Kimani, Technician at The Hive Group.

The hives are made of super box, brooder box and queen excluder chambers bound together with joints that make it more stable. The queen excluder chamber is made of wooden strips instead of iron rods or wires as in the case of longstroth hives.

“The wooden strips limits rusting which occurs with iron and which can poison honey. The joints firmly hold the hive together and this makes our hives last for between 18-20 years as compared to other hives which last for about 15 years,” explained Kimani.

The hive also has a temperature regulator board that monitor temperature within the beehive. This according to Kimani is to ensure that the bees especially the queen bee is not under any stress during the production process.

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Brooder box which is made of 10 framers are the surfaces where honey is deposited and during a good season the production can overflow to almost all the surfaces of the frames making the hives the best as they have enough space for honey, said Kimani.

He says, within 45 days after installation beekeepers should expect bees to occupy the hives which are their respective colonies. During this time the top super chamber is not yet placed, this is done one month later to give the insects time to build up their colonies.

Victor Kimani The Hive Beehives

Victor Kimani of The Hive Group demostrating to farmers how CAB hives work at the company's stand during the just concluded Nairobi Agricultural Trdae Fair. Photo Oyugi Zablon.

The first harvest takes place after 6-7 months and thereafter farmers can enjoy three harvests annually.

The Hive Group sells the CAB hives at Sh12,000 each and it comes with a complete kit comprising of extractor, bee suit, smoker, hive tool and double sieve.

The company in partnership with Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) is currently offering 10 hives at Sh180,000 whereby farmers can apply for a loan from the bank while the company gives services such as training and installation among others.

Our trained farmers stand some best opportunities such as direct marketing. We offer them market of their produce at Sh400 per kilo of honey and this also depends on the market trend.

Currently a kilo of honey goes at between Sh500-Sh800. This is five times what a litre of petrol does (Sh105).

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: 04 October 2018; Hits: 10871

Funguo to manufacture fruit juice puree in Kwale County

fruit juice

Funguo Investments Limited has acquired a majority stake in Feastfoods Processors Limited, a food processing company that has been set up to manufacture fruit juice puree and concentrates in Kwale County.

The value of the project is Sh1bn, and the funds for the first phase have already been availed. The transaction will see FIL, one of the country’s leading investment companies own 51 per cent stake of Feastfoods, a company set to produce puree and concentrates of mango, pineapple and passion from locally grown fruits, mainly from Kwale County as well as other counties in the Coastal and lower Eastern regions.

It is estimated that about 65 per cent of puree concentrate is usually imported. The completion of the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals.

‘’We’re sure this is going to be a success because there’s a ready market for fruit concentrates both locally and internationally,’’ said Funguo Investments Limited CEO Mr Kenneth Muchina.

The establishment of the Feastfoods factory is in partnership with Feastfoods Processors Limited and will in part be funded by a long term debt of Sh276m from ICDC, part of Sh425m that is already available in the first phase.

ICDC is the development finance institution owned by the Government of Kenya. Feastfoods is expected to directly employ over 50 employees and provide a market for over 30,000 farmers in the coastal county who often suffer losses for lack of a ready market for their fruits.

They will in the early years supply Feastfoods with mangoes, passion fruits and pineapples, with a likelihood of other fruits and even vegetables and nuts being added to the portfolio of farm produce that Feastfoods will process.

“Fruits from the coastal region of Kenya have largely been going to waste with post-harvest waste levels for mango as an example estimated at 55 per cent of total produce. Feastfoods intends to offer a partial solution to this problem by buying from the farmers and processing the fruits to make puree and concentrate to sell to local and export markets juice and other food product manufacturers,” said Kenneth Muchina, Funguo Investments Limited’s CEO.

The acquisition of the stake in Feastfoods by Funguo adds to Funguo’s list of strategic investments that span stakes in Insurance, Insurance Brokerage, Risk and Pensions Consulting, Real Estate, Beverages and Concrete Products.

“We estimate the fruit processing plant will produce about 20 tonnes of fruit puree daily. The entire plant has a processing capacity of 36,000 tonnes per annum,” Mr Muchina explained.

It is expected that the ground breaking for the processing plant will be in three months with the commissioning of the state-of-the-art plant slated for October this year.

Feastfoods joins other businesses in the coastal region of Kenya that leverage on the available market of fruits in the region.

The greatest beneficiaries of this entry in to the fruit buying market by Feastfoods are the farmers who will now have an expanded market for their produce.

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