Tree Tomato Farming Earns Kosgie Fame And Wealth: Richfarm Kenya

On the hilly outskirts of the cool Kapsabet town, Arap Kosgei is sending tongues wagging.

Kosgei is farming tree tomatoes, a crop many in this part of Kenya have never seen before, the reason residents of Chebarbar village would not stop talking about him.

He is farming Tamarillo, a crop that resembles tomatoes and is also known as Tree Tomato.

“I started growing Tamarillo out of curiosity. I credit it to my wife because had she not bought some tasty fruits from the supermarket and came with them home in 2010, I would not have ended up farming them,” says Kosgei, whose wife is a school principal.

Out of curiosity, Kosgei wanted to know is the fruits would grow in his farm so he can be picking straight from there instead of having to buy them from the supermarket where the price was really high. 

He then searched online for tree tomato seedlings and found them at Richfarm Kenya. 

“I was excited when I received the 30 seedlings I had ordered. I transplanted them and only 27 trees survived. They did well thereafter even though with quite a number of challenges.”

Kosgei attended a workshop on horticultural farming in Kapsabet town later where he took keen interest in cultivation of the crop.

He figured out where he had been going wrong. “I discovered that I had spaced them incorrectly besides failing to take care of them properly. I wish I had engaged the company that had supplied me for advice but I thought I only needed to plant and wait for the fruits.”

In 2011, armed with the knowledge he had received from the workshop and a constant support from Richfarm Kenya, he ordered and planted 110 seedlings spacing them at the recommended two by two metres space.

He mulched them during the dry season and pruned them correctly as advised.

“Transplanting is done when the seedlings are between 60 to 70 days old or when the seedling is 20 to 30cm long. Planting holes should be dug 30 to 45cm deep with a diameter of 60cm to accommodate sufficient volume of manure,” explains Kosgei.

When his crops started to flower in September 2012, they attracted several residents who came to his farm to inquire about them.

“It is a lucrative venture and since I am the only farmer in this region, the market is overwhelming. Customers even book them before they ripe. They come from as far as Eldoret,” says the farmer, who notes that the crop requires sufficient irrigation during the dry season.

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Tree Tomato Farmers in Kenya Rewarded With Good Prices Due to A Biting Shortage

According to Kosgei, growing Tree Tomato is not labour intensive and requires little capital to start.

“The crops take about a year to mature. One then picks fruits twice a week for the whole year except when you spray them to kill pests.”

Each tree produces an average of 20-30kg of fruits annually. you, therefore, would pick approximately 20-30 tons of fruits yearly from one acre and sell a kilo locally at between Sh60 and Ksh80.

“I get buyers from surrounding areas and beyond. Some come to pick from the farm here; others I supply to them.”

He says his production is steady except when the weather is cold.

In Kapsabet, July is chilly while March is the driest month. “Compared to maize, which other farmers grow, the proceeds from Tree Tomato are better. Here, maize farmers get on 0.2 acre like mine Sh15,000,” says Kosgei, who is a Horticultural Corporation Development Authority licensed operator.

Other crops he grows include grafted avocados, bananas and passion fruits.

Also Read: Passion Fruit Farming in Kenya: The Costs and Expected Returns

He also grows flowers like daisies, roses, lilies, dew and landers.

“Successful farmers are normally adventurous. They try out different plants especially unique ones. Many people thought the crop could not grow because not a single farmer had ever attempted planting it before in this area,” says Kosgei, 48, who has used proceeds from the farming venture to pay for his children’s school fees and his education at Gretsa University, Kapsabet, where he is undertaking Bachelor of Arts in Developmental Studies.

Amos Ego, a plant breeder at University of Eldoret, says Tamarillo is a delicious egg-shaped fruit, whose origin is South America.

“The plant looks strange because its skin is not eaten. The skin is tough and bitter but the flesh is sweet and juicy. The flesh holds soft black seeds nested in a red gel, which is sweet,” he says.

The fruit has an upright trunk with lateral branches that bear pink-white fragrant flowers, shallow roots and yields long fruits with dark longitudinal stripes.

“Because of such roots, the crop should be planted in deep holes to protect them from winds. They also require moderate well-distributed rainfall, temperature of between 15 to 20 degrees Celcius and a soil pH of five to 8.5.”

Amos, however, says the crop is highly susceptible to bacterial wilt and should not be intercropped with crops such as potatoes and cabbages.

He adds, “Organic manure used should be fully decomposed to ensure that it does not become a source of diseases and to ensure that maximum nutrients are obtained especially when farm yard manure is used.” In addition, the crop should be sheltered from direct winds to protect flowers and fruits from damage.

Tree tomato farming guide for kenya

He advises farmers to diversify their crops to meet the dynamic consumer preferences. However, he counsels that one should seek advice and information before investing in such enterprises.

Also Read: Tomato Farming in Kenya: How To Do It Without Burning Your Fingers

“Farmers should read as much information about their venture of interest as they can find. For tree tomato farming, you should find all the information starting from propagation to harvesting.” He says, and adds that farmers should also seek information from others who grow the crop.

Here is a Tree tomato production guide that you should start by reading. You can request for your copy from our Resources Page.