Grape is a woody
vine that produces clusters of edible berries and grows well in various parts of Kenya such as Naivasha, Meru and Bungoma. They can be eaten raw or can be
used to process wine and other products such as jam and grape juice.
There are plenty
of health benefits in consuming grapes for they are a rich source of Vitamins-
A, C, K and minerals such as iron, copper, manganese.
Grapes are widely
cultivated all over the world due to the fact that they are non-climatic and
can thrive in different climatic conditions but they prefer warm to hot
temperatures.
Grapes are
suitable for home gardeners and for small scale or large scale commercial
production.
In Kenya, grape farming can be used to create thousands of jobs and millions of shillings in income
because there is a good market within the country. There is ready market
throughout the year and new wine companies that use grapes as their main raw
material are setting shop in Kenya. Established companies such as East African
breweries ltd are thinking of entering the wine market as they seek to
diversify. The future of this crop is promising.
A good percentage
of the grapes consumed in Kenya is imported and mostly sold to the high end
market that pays a good price for them- a kilo goes at around 400-500 Ksh. Wine
producing companies such as Kenyan wine agencies do import the grapes they use
because of the good quality of imported grapes and lack of local supply.
Any company
prefers getting their core raw materials from within and are only forced to
import if they have no other choice. This greatly increases the cost of
production and denies such companies a competitive advantage. Some of the
companies are aware of this and have developed their own grapevine orchards but
the grape produced is still insufficient.
Grapes’ growing in
Kenya is still in its formative stage despite the fact that there are grapevine
orchards in different parts of Kenya that are more than 20 years old. This
means that there is a great opportunity for more farmers and home gardeners to take
up this crop. Farmers can go an extra mile and establish wine making cottage
industries that will improve the economic outlook of their locality.
There is a lot to
be done in Kenya to ensure farmers are well trained on grape cultivation and
value addition to guarantee high quality produce that will rival imported
grapes and wine. This is precisely the purpose of this book.
Grape prefers deep
and well drained soil and can grow in any soil type. They can be propagated
through seeds or vegetatively by using cuttings.
There are
different types of grapes each having its own characteristic, advantages and
disadvantages.
Prospective large scale farmers should visit
wineries and inquire on the types of grapes they might be interested to
purchase before embracing certain cultivators because demand does differ by
variety.
Home growers
should sample the different varieties; they can be planted along the fence in
the homestead and trained well to conceal the fruits when it matures.
So indeed you too can start your grapes farm wherever you are in Kenya. Those in warm and hot areas have an advantage as their grapes become sweeter than those cultivating them in coll or cold areas.
Grapes farming is not difficult at all especially if you follow the simple steps given in this comprehensive grapes farming guide. It is actually written for the Kenyan farmers. You can request for your copy from our Resources Page.
So indeed you too can start your grapes farm wherever you are in Kenya. Those in warm and hot areas have an advantage as their grapes become sweeter than those cultivating them in coll or cold areas.
Grapes farming is not difficult at all especially if you follow the simple steps given in this comprehensive grapes farming guide. It is actually written for the Kenyan farmers. You can request for your copy from our Resources Page.
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