Kiwi is a temperate fruit and it can do well in the temperate
regions of Kenya like Central, Western highlands, Central Rift Valley and Many
other places. It’s also hardy and can tolerate extreme cold and extreme hot
temperatures but being favoured by warm climates.
It can grow in a wide range of soils provided they are well-drained
and have pH of 5.0 and 6.5. The plant does not require much fertiliser; in
fact, exposure to a lot of fertiliser results to burning of the roots,
therefore, you simply need to use compost manure.
It is a shallow rooted crop, therefore, requires frequent irrigation
for maximum yield. However this property also helps it to absorb water fast in
areas with little rainfall hence surviving such climate.
We have actually written a full article with the basics of growing kiwi fruit in Kenya. Below is the link to the article:
 |
| Kiwi Fruit Farming |
But
just how profitable is the fruit?
There are very few markets where
demand exceeds supply. One such market is for Kiwi fruits which, despite being
a relatively new idea in Kenya, has taken the market by storm. And you just
need to have a taste of this fruit to understand why so many people love it.
There are very few farmers who
have gotten wind of its valued benefits so far. Actually, production of Kiwi
fruits in Kenya is yet to kick off on a commercial scale. Now that’s where the
mammoth opportunity is. You can take advantage of this low-supply-high-demand
situation in Kenya and make your kill.
The average kiwi vine takes 2 to 3
years to mature and start producing fruits. The first few harvests may however
not be as productive but this tends to improve throughout the plants mature
life.
How much to invest
Let’s
start with good news; Kiwi seedlings are now available in Kenya for an
affordable price of Ksh.200. You can contact Richfarm Kenya (0724698357) to
have clean certified seedling.
The crop management is similar to passion
fruit management practices. That means you will also need trellis and enough
manure and water to bring up a healthy profitable crop. See the complete guide
below; it contains the cost estimates for an acre.
How much to expect
An
acre of kiwi fruits carries about 650 vines. In the third year, each vine
should give you about 20 fruits; that’s
on the lower side. That gives you about 13,000 fruits in a season. Check
out the prices in supermarkets today and you will find a retail price of
between Ksh.90 and Ksh.100 per fruit. Supposing you sell the fruit at a
wholesale price of Ksh.70 per fruit, that acre will give you a cool Ksh.910,000.
Now keep in mind that the production increases with time.
I know I have left out most details
from this article but we have compiled this comprehensive Kiwi fruit farming guide for Kenya with step by step information from planting through to harvesting and marketing.
It also contains budget estimates that will help you plan appropriately and relevant contacts from whom to source kiwi fruit seedlings and other farm inputs.
It is now available on PDF so you can even read it from your phone while at the farm. You can request for your copy through our Resources Page.
No comments :
Post a Comment