PASSION FRUIT FARMING IN KENYA: ESTABLISHMENT TO MARKET

To begin with, passion fruit is a vigorous, shallow rooted, perennial vine that climbs by means of tendrils and can grow as tall as 20 ft (6 m or 600 cm) high and a more realistic life expectation is 3 – 5 years. It is mainly grown for fresh market and juice extraction preferred by small scale farmers due to it being a very profitable crop. It is exported mainly to Uganda, Europe, France, Denmark and the UK making it one of the most profitable export crop or fruit.

also see Passion Fruit Farming in Kenya: The Costs and Expected Returns

Trellised Passion Fruit at the farm

Varieties

The most common varieties are purple and yellow passion fruit. Let’s look at the varieties individually.

1. Purple Passion

The Purple Passion Fruit does well in upper midland to upper highland zones, that is, 1,200 – 2,000 meters above sea level. The purple passion fruit produces purple colored fruits of 4 – 5 cm in diameter and has quite a superior and aromatic flavor to it. It is mainly used for fresh market and juice extraction and it is very popular in the export market.

2. Yellow Passion Fruit

The Yellow Passion Fruit does so well in the lower midland and lowland zones  and it is more vigorous and produces larger fruits of 5 – 7 cm in diameter. The Yellow Passion Fruit is more acidic and is used for juice extraction. It is quite a good fruit to farm as it is resistant to Fusarium Wilt, tolerant to Phytophtora Root Rot, Nematodes and Brown Spot. The Yellow Passion Fruit is used as rootstock for Purple Passion Fruit.

Generally, passion fruit can be eaten fresh or consumed after extracting the pulp and making juice. Passion fruit juice is a delicacy and is in high demand in the local markets. The juice is used in a variety of products and the pulp may be added to different dishes. A wide range of cosmetic products and food flavors are derived from the fruit that is rich in Vitamins A and C.

Sweet Yellow Passion Farming in Kenya: A 2024 Worthy Investment

Best Climatic Conditions For Passion Fruit Farming

The Purple Passion Fruit grow well in altitude of 1,200 – 2,000 meters above sea level, while the Yellow Passion Fruit do well in altitudes of 0 – 800 meters above sea level. The passion fruit needs rainfall of about 900 – 2,000 mm annually, while a growing temperature of 18 – 25 degrees Celsius for Purple Passion and 25 – 30 degrees Celsius for the Yellow Passion.  The passion fruit does well in loamy soils which are deep and well drained with a pH range of 5.5 – 6.5.

LAND PREPARATION

In the land preparation process aggressive perennial weeds such as Kikuyu grass should be eliminated before planting.

1. Holes Preparation

Dig your planting holes 45 by by 45 cm separating the top and sub-soils. Have a spacing of about 2m by 3 m , approximately having 640 plants per acre. Mix the topsoil with a debe which is about 15 kg of Farm Yard Manure and 125 grams of Triple Super Phosphate that is. Proceed to fill the hole with this mixture at least three weeks before transplanting.

2. Supporting Structures.

Number of poles per acre should be about 350 and a pole size of 2.5 meters – 3 meters high with thickness of 150 mm. You will need approximately 120kg of plain galvanized wire, a sisal twine of 10 kg and 4-5 inch nails about 5kg to construct the supporting poles for your passion fruit vines.

3. Seed Preparation

Seeds are selected from well-developed ripe fruit and the seed rate for sowing should be at least 2 seeds per bag.

After sowing ensure to weed weekly, keep watering daily in dry season. Keep maintaining your supporting structures. Discard weak rootstock, pest or diseases and affected plants weekly. Also carry out root pruning monthly.

4. Grafting

• Select a young, healthy vine the same diameter as the rootstock from which to cut scions.
• Cut a scion at the node in a long angle with a budding knife.
• Cut about 2.5 cm slit into the rootstock vine with a grafting knife.
• Slide the angle of the scion into the slit in the rootstock, pairing the two pieces up in size.
• Wrap grafting tape tightly around the union.
• Seal the graft union with grafting compound. The graft union should be at least 45 cm above the soil level.

Purple Passion Fruit at our Kiritiri Farm in Embu

Nursery Management

Harden the improved cultivars before planting as the environment in the field after planting is less controlled than that of the nursery. Remove or reduce shade in a stepwise manner. Remove grafting tape after 8 weeks as it can strangle the scion. When the color of the leaves become dark green, remove the shade completely and don’t forget to prick out, weed and water carefully.

Richfarm Kenya always has ready to plant passion seedlings so you don’t have to do all this work as we have already done it for you. You can buy them from their nurseries in Embu or Naivasha. You can also call them on 0724698357/0723213602 to make an order and they will deliver the seedlings to your farm.

Raising the Seedling

Raise seedlings under an insect proof screen house. Source seeds from recommended sources or collect healthy mature fruit of recommended Purple or Yellow Passion Fruit from parent with a history of good bearing capacity; extract seeds by fermenting for 3 days to ease separation of pulp and seed and then dry the seed under shade. Then sow the seed shallowly into prepared beds or eco bags filled with sterilized soil. Bags should be 5 by 9 inches (12.7 by 22.9 cm). Germination will start after 14 – 21 days.

Remember we have the seedlings ready for you at Richfarm Kenya; we have done the hard part for you.

Establishment

One month after grafting, the seedlings are ready for transplanting in the field. Transplanting should be done early morning or late in the evening. It should be done at the onset of rains like now; perfect time or anytime under irrigation.

Fertilizer

The top dressing fertilizer should be applied in two splits per year; application of 100g NPK (17-17-17/20-20-20) per plant at start of every rainy season.  This could be at least four times in a year. One debe which is 15 kg of well decomposed manure per plant per year is applied before the rains begin. Spraying with foliar feed and trace elements every three months is recommended.

Staking and Trellising

The common system of support is by use of plain wires strung on posts (trellis). The trellis should be erected immediately after transplanting. Poles for trellising should be about 3.0 meters long and 15 cm in diameter, and they are dug 60 cm deep and spaced 6 meters apart in the row. A single strand of galvanized plain wire is tightly stretched over each row of posts and fixed firmly to the end posts.

How to Increase your Passion Fruit Production Through Trellising

Training and Pruning

A light stick is driven into the ground close to the plant or a piece of sisal twine from the base of the young plant to the wire above. The two healthy shoots at the base of the plant are then selected and trained up the stick or the sisal strands by twining them regularly. All the other shoots below the wire and side branches that emerge are removed regularly until the shoots reach the wire.

The two shoots are then trained along the wire in opposite direction by twining and tying regularly. It should be ensured that the laterals which bear fruit hang down from the wire.

Secondary shoots and old shoots which have produced fruit and dead wood should be removed. Additionally, laterals reaching ground level should be cut off 10 – 15 cm above ground as well as entangling tendrils.

Yellow Passion Fruit

Pests and Diseases Affecting Passion Fruit Farming

Pests

The following are the major pests of Passion Fruits in Kenya, Aphids, Mealy Bugs and Spider mites, Thrips, Nematodes, Bugs, Broad or Yellow Tea Mite.

Management

They are usually controlled by use of their natural enemies. Also avoid applying too much nitrogenous fertilizer, as this will make the plants juicy and attractive to aphids. Prune and destroy affected parts at the initial stage of mealy bug infestation. Use recommended pesticides by seeking guidance from Agricultural Extension Officers.

In some cases, intercropping has been found to reduce thrips infestation. Avoidance of successive planting of susceptible crops reduces the impact of thrips, that is, crop rotation.

To control nematodes rotate with cassava, cereals, maize, sweet corn, sweet potato, onions, cabbage and kale. Use of Yellow Passion which has tolerance to Nematode as root stock is highly advisable. Ensure to use clean planting materials and maintain proper field hygiene.

Diseases

The following are the major diseases and physiological disorders of Passion Fruits in Kenya, Fusarium wilt, Passion fruit woodiness, Brown spot, Septoria spot and Phytophthora blight.

Management

Use clean planting material; clean your pruning tools, use resistant hybrids or rootstocks of Yellow Passion Fruit. Remove diseased vines from the field and ensure you do proper weeding. Control vectors or pests (aphids). Also timely spraying with recommended fungicides is advised.

Harvesting

The crop comes into bearing within 7 – 8 months after transplanting. The main harvest is obtained 12 – 13 months after transplanting. There are normally two harvesting peaks: July – August and December – January

Passion Fruit Harvest

Harvesting Method

Passion Fruit for fresh market should be picked when they have developed their characteristic color, purple or yellow. The fruits fall naturally from the vine when they are ripe: these are suitable for juice extraction.

Yields

Average yields are about 4,000kg per acre per year. With good management and crop husbandry yields of more than 6,000 – 8,000kg per acre can be realized.

Yellow passion fruit should be stored at 7 to 10 degrees Celsius with 90 to 95 percent relative humidity for up to 2 weeks. Purple passion fruits are chilling tolerant and can be stored at 3 to 5 degrees Celsius for 3 to 5 weeks.

Post-Harvest Handling

Fruits are harvested when they are about 75 percent turning yellow or purple. They are then packed in fiber board cartons, trays or cell packs.

For processing, the fruit is easy to process. The fruit can be processed to rich fruit juice, or mixed with orange or pineapple juices for mixed fruit juices. The seeded pulp that remains can be made into jelly, or combined with pineapple or tomato in making jam.

Market

Passion fruit is one of the most profitable fruit to farm. One plant if carefully tended can grow vigorously yielding up to 2kg of fruit every week during the high season. That’s 10-15 kg in a year. The local market sells at Ksh. 40-100 per kg, while going for Ksh. 70-100 per kg for export, and is also dependent on the market supply and demand which is always high; this makes passion fruit farming very profitable and lucrative to venture into.

• Cost per seedling- Non grafted- 60, Grafted Purple passion- Ksh. 100
• Seedlings per acre - 620 plants per acre
• Spacing - 2m by 3m
• Fruit price -   40-100 for local market, 70-100/kg export market, but dependent on market supply and demand too
• Yield - 4,000kg per acre per Year
• Common pests - Aphids, Mealy Bugs and Spider mites, Thrips, Nematodes, Bugs, Broad or  Yellow Tea Mite.
• Common diseases - Fusarium wilt, Passion fruit woodiness, Brown spot, Septoria spot and  Phytophthora blight.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What are the best climatic conditions for passion fruit farming?
• What are the best kind of support structures that are needed for trellising passion fruit plants?
• What materials do I need for constructing passion fruit trellising structures?
• What are the common pests and diseases affecting passion fruit farming?
• After how long can I expect fruits from my passion fruit plant?
• How are the yields in passion fruit farming?
• What is the spacing requirement for the passion fruit plant?
• How do I know my passion plants are ready for harvest?
• Is passion fruit a very profitable fruit farming activity to do?
• How do I handle my passion fruit produce after harvesting?
• How is the passion fruit market locally and for export?

The cost of production and other relevant information is available in a comprehensive guide for passion fruit production in Kenya. You can now request for it from our Resources Page. 

 

DRAGON FRUIT CULTIVATION: SEEDLING TO HARVEST

You ask, why plant dragon fruits in the first place?

•  They have low maintenance cost.
• Dragon fruits are highly nutritious.
•  Require minimal after care.
•  They can be planted in an area that has limited space.
•  Dragon fruits are fast return perennial fruit crop with production expected from 18-24 months after planting
•  Once grown you can harvest for more than 20 years

Dragon Fruit Farming Field

Dragon fruits have been cultivated in Kenya for just about 5 years now but its awareness has spread to all the corners of our country. A kilogram of the fruit sells for between ksh. 500 and ksh. 1,000 in the Kenyan supermarket chains. They come in a variety of Red/Pink, White and Yellow, all these with a vibrant appearance that makes it a feast for the eyes.

While information about dragon fruit farming is still not readily available in Kenya, Richfarm is always visiting farmers to educate them on the best ways of producing the fruit. We have also been holding dragon fruit farming seminars at our Embu farm. We always want you to start off your project from an informed position to reap very profitable yields. That is why we have covered this topic in an online guide on how to grow dragon fruits in Kenya.

Also see Is Dragon Fruit Worth the Price? Unwrapping the Health/Nutritional Benefits of The Most Expensive Fruit

What Conditions are Best for Dragon Fruit Farming in Kenya

The dragon fruit is in the family of cactus, therefore this fruit is adapted to grow even in arid and semi-arid conditions. It requires less water. It is also not selective on the type of soils meaning you can grow it on sandy, loamy or clay soils. However, for your plants to have good vegetative growth and a high yield, the soils must have high organic matter and be well drained. You should also ensure that you give them just a little water during the very dry seasons.

You may ask, can I grow dragon fruits in our Kenyan highlands?

While this crop has the ability to grow even in hot and dry areas, it doesn't mean it can't grow in cooler areas with a lot of rainfall. All you need to do is ensure that the soils are well-drained to avoid soaking the rooting area.

Supporting Structures

The major constraint is the use of trellises. Dragon fruit plants are vine-like and need support hence the need of posts either concrete or wooden. You must make them a support structure over which to climb. The supporting posts are placed in the middle of the planting hole well in advance before planting. For best growth and fruit production plant dragon in an area that receives enough sunlight and less wind.  Dragon plants require less water compared to other fruit plants.

Dragon Fruits with Support Structures

A post with a wide structure at the top will be sufficient to support 2 to 4 vines. The plants will climb up to the top and then spread forming something like an umbrella and this helps in them giving good yields.

Propagation and Varieties

Dragon fruit seedlings are mostly propagated by cuttings. There are five main dragon fruit types:

• Pink fruit skin with white flesh
• Red fruit skin with red flesh
• Red fruit skin with white flesh
• Yellow fruit skin with white flesh
• Yellow fruit skin with red flesh

What is the Required Spacing for Dragon Fruits?

The recommended spacing for dragon fruit is 2m between the lines and 2m from pole to pole within the line. With this spacing, you will plant 2,000 dragon fruit plants in an acre if you establish 2 plants per pole. That is the number we actually recommend. However, we have seen other successful spacing in practice: the commercial farm in Naivasha has a spacing of 2m between the lines and 1m from pole to pole and 2 plants per pole. In other farms, they plant 4 plants per pole and have had successful yield. 

Also see 4-Fast Maturing Fruit Seedlings That You Can Farm With a Budget of Less Than KSH100, 000

How long do dragon fruits take to mature?

It will take 1 to one and a half years for a dragon fruit vine to produce the first fruit if you plant it from the cutting of a mature vine. A vine propagated from a seed will take more than 6 years to mature hence the best method to propagate dragon fruits is through cuttings. The lifespan of dragon fruit plants is over 40 years.

A dragon fruit bud takes 13 days to develop into a flower from a node. This flower opens up for pollination on the night of the 13^th day – just before the 14^th day. This is the only chance that the flower has to get pollinated. If pollination doesn’t happen then, the flower will not grow into a fruit and will simply fall off the plant. If it is successfully pollinated, it will develop into a fruit that will be ripe and ready for harvesting after 38 days since pollination. That means it only takes 52 days from the day a fruit bud emerges to have a yummy fruit ready to be eaten.

When the fruits are growing, they are usually green in color. They start turning into red color when they mature and the ripening process starts. The ripening process takes only 3 days. You must harvest dragon fruits only after they are completely ripe. This is because, unlike other fruits, Pitaya does not continue to ripen after being harvested.

 Where Do I Sell My Dragon Fruit?

Currently, the market for dragon fruits is open and ready for farmers to sell through the many supermarket chains in the country, the open market, fruit aggregators and, of course, the ever-present online market.  The supermarkets that stock these fruits in our country actually import it from other countries. This presents a great opportunity for farmers who would want to invest in dragon fruit farming in Kenya.

3 Reasons Why You Should Invest In Dragon Fruit Farming In Kenya

Why Dragon Fruit Is Set To Be The Next Big Thing In Kenya’s Farming Business

China is the largest consumer of dragon fruits and it imports a bulk of the produce from Vietnam. China is an open and very profitable market to which Kenya is exporting avocado and getting. With the necessary volumes, dragon fruit farmers in Kenya can take advantage of the Chinese and larger international market.

Pest and Diseases

Pest and diseases management

There are fewer disease and pest attacks. As a good practice, prevention is better than cure. There may be cases of thrips, mealy bugs and slug attack. Be on the watch out for any early signs of attack and act to deter any attack. Anthracnose is the most significant disease.

The greatest threat to dragon fruit farming is the fruit fly. Luckily, fruit flies can be controlled using biological methods. The plant is also very tolerant to diseases. Only mild cases of fungal infections have been reported, and even as such, they do not pose any danger to the plant or fruits. 

To make a good profit from Dragon Fruit Farming you need to see that you do the following:

1.     Space: A small space, even 1/8 of an acre is enough to start dragon fruit farming in Kenya at the moment. Being a very high value crop, a few dragon fruit plants are enough to make you realize economic gain. You do not need typically fertile soils as the nutritional needs of this plant are not so high. You can actually plant it even on the edges of the farm.

2.      Support structures: Posts of about 5 feet (150cm) in height are good enough. These can either be wooded or concrete. Concrete ones are best for longevity. Soften the soil around the base of the post and hip it a little especially if you are planting on clay soils that are not so well drained. Mix the soil with a lot of manure to give it sufficient amounts of organic matter. You only need soils that are about 2 feet (60cm) deep since the plants are shallow rooters.

3.     High-quality seedlings: Plant dragon fruit seedlings developed from mature cuttings only. Get mature, rooted dragon fruit cuttings from Richfarm Kenya by simply calling, texting or WhatsApp at 0724698357. When planting, burry only the rooting section of the cutting and water just enough to make the soil moist.

Dragon Fruit Seedlings at our Farm

Pruning  and Training

Prune your plant to remove all damaged or diseased stems. Ensure any stem that touches the ground is removed. Train the main stem and tie it to the support structure as the plant grows. Once the stem reaches the top, cut the tip to induce branching.

Harvesting Your Dragon Fruit

The fruits are likely to be ready for harvest 45-50 days after fruit set. Fruit ripen at different times and should be selectively harvested. You should carefully remove the fruits from the plant for they are easily damaged. The average fruit weight is 300 grams but with proper tree care and fruit thinning you can attain weight of between 850-1000 grams per fruit.

Post Harvest: Shelf-Life

You can keep dragon fruits for up to 18 days after harvesting without refrigeration. Under proper refrigeration, the fruit will remain fresh even for 3 months. This fruit is not perishable since it stops ripening immediately it is cut off from the mother plant. Also, the fruit does not oxidize after being cut. That means you do not have to consume the entire fruit once you have cut it. You can keep a slice under refrigeration and it will look and taste as fresh as when you first cut it.

Dragon Fruit Harvest

Conclusion

If you are entrepreneurial then dragon fruit could be an asset. But before heavily investing take time to do test plants and familiarize yourself with the cultivation process. Learn to do more using less, your establishment cost should be minimal--we can assist in this area. Have a clear road map of who your customers are and how your product will reach them. Is there market for the fruit? Yes, but we believe it is your work too as an entrepreneur to find market for your dragon fruit harvest.

Do you have any questions regarding dragon fruit farming in Kenya, or anywhere in Africa? Contact us on (+254) 0724698357/0723213602. We are always ready to answer any question and we would also be glad to come to your farm and assist in setting up your dragon fruit farming business.

• Cost per seedling- Ksh. 350
• Seedlings per acre- 2000 seedlings being 2 seedlings per pole structure.
• Spacing- 2m by 2m
•  Fruit price- Ksh.500 - 1,000 retail depending on the market supply and demand.
•  Common pests- minimal cases of thrips, mealy bugs and fruit flies
•  Common disease- Anthracnose
•  Lifespan- 20 years

 
Frequently Asked Questions

·      What are the cultivation requirements in dragon fruit farming?

·      What are the common pests and diseases affecting dragon fruit farming?
·      How long after planting can I start getting the first fruit in dragon fruit farming?
·      Can I export my dragon fruit?
·      How is the local and export market?

·      What is the dragon fruit harvest shelf life?
·      How do I support my dragon plant?
·      How do I care for the dragon plant for maximum yields?

      Is dragon fruit one of the most profitable fruit farming ventures?

 

 

FARMING FRUITS, VEGETABLES AND HERBS FOR THE EXPORT MARKET FOR PROFIT

Can fruits and vegetable farming be very profitable?

The demand for Kenya avocado, macadamia, passion fruits and a range of other fruits and vegetables in the international market is high and on a promising rise. As such, fruit and vegetable farming presents a good opportunity not only for farmers but also for exporters and other people in the value chain to make good profits from agribusiness.

Horticultural Export Produce

For the Kenyan farmers, both domestic and export markets have their own unique advantages but the common thing is that they are undersupplied. In fact, the main limiting factor to farmers accessing these markets is their inability to produce sufficient quantities.

What challenges are farmers in Kenya experiencing?

There are a number of challenges that face farmers in the horticulture sub-sector which include:

1. Low incentives in terms of local market prices.
2. High costs of inputs that include seeds, fertilizer, pesticides.
3. Stringent international standards and market requirements, which are a barrier to accessing the export market. Good examples are the conditions put forth by China for Kenyan avocado.
4. Post-harvest losses and lack of quality to improve consumer acceptance.
5. Low availability of capital and limited access to affordable credit for horticultural farmers.
6. Climate change, mainly unpredictable weather, and presence of pests and diseases. Kenya currently cannot export avocados to South Africa and some European destinations until we demonstrate that we can properly manage the fruit fly and false codling moth. Until we find ways of managing the citrus greening disease in oranges and the woodiness disease in purple passion fruits, the markets for these fruits will remain unexploited.
7. Low adoption of modern farming and processing technologies by Kenyan farmers.
8. Poor infrastructure: Inadequate storage, lack of pack house facilities and refrigerated trucks constrain marketability of horticultural products.

Ready Carrot Harvest for Export

How to address these challenges

Firstly, you should do is get training on production of fruits and vegetables as well as compliance to market requirements. The stakeholders in the avocado and macadamia production value chains are doing a good job in this. Farmers should ensure they attend their trainings and implement what they learn. Richfarm Kenya always updates these events in their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Richfarmkenya/. You can follow the page to receive regular updates. 

As a farmer, you should also ensure that you plant the varieties that suit your farm. New fruit and vegetable varieties are also being introduced in the market; these varieties are more productive, resistant or less susceptible to pests and diseases. Richfarm Kenya is always posting information about these varieties on our social media pages and website. Farmers have a responsibility to investigate which varieties of the crops are better for their environment. The officers from our company work very closely to farmers to help them in this. We actually have some information up on our website about this. See the articles below:

1. How To Choose The Best Pawpaw Variety For Farming In Kenya in 2020

2. Farmers Make More Money With The New Muranga 20 Macadamia Variety

3. Why Solo Sunrise Is the Most Popular Pawpaw Variety in Kenya and the World

Are Kenyan farmers exporting more fresh produce abroad?

Domestic consumption of fresh produce is still high and currently stands at about 90 per cent of total production.

However, export market is currently growing and the major markets are in the Euro-zone.

To improve margins and make it a very profitable activity, Kenya has focused on diversifying to other non-traditional export markets such as the United Arab Emirates, Middle East, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

The main products to the European Union are French beans, snow peas and sugar snaps, broccoli, herbs, and spices and avocados, among others. Kenya exports vegetables, herbs and spices, avocados and mangoes to the Middle East market.

How Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya (FPEAK) is helping the small farmer to export fresh produce

Small-scale farmers in Kenya have previously been hit by the European Union’s stringent food safety regulations. The tough measures, combined with rising cost of production, knocked-out some farmers from growing the vegetables for export, leading to drop in the amount of vegetable exports.

On the other hand, fruit farming is not as challenging as vegetable farming when it comes to controlling pests and diseases. As a result, small scale farmers in Kenya can easily produce fruits that meet the set standards for international market. 

FPEAK links smallholder farmers to its members who buy from them, pack and export to various destinations. They also advice the farmers on the kind of crops that they can grow for the export market and are also very profitable.

How Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) works and how farmers can satisfy what Kenya-GAP requires?

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) is a set of practices that a farmer should follow in order to produce fruits and vegetables that meet export market requirements. In our country, we have Kenya-GAP which explains to farmers the internationally accepted practices in growing fresh produce. These are measures that ensure the food we present to our buyers is safe to eat. It also takes into consideration aspects of environmental conservation as well as the health and safety of our workers at the farms.

In other words, Kenya-GAP teaches us the farmers the best practices with regard to the use of farm products such as pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers while also taking care of employee welfare and farm management, among others.

If you would like to know more about this, you can check out the national standard KS 1758 part II on fruits and vegetables. It explains very well the compliance criteria that farmers in Kenya for both local and export market should observe.

VEGETABLES AND FRUITS FARMERS CAN GROW TO ACCESS THE EXPORT MARKET

1. VEGETABLES

French beans, snow peas, broccoli, courgettes, carrots, garden peas, salad onions, leeks and cucumber.

2. FRUITS

Avocadoes, passion fruits, mangoes, pawpaw, oranges, strawberry and dragon fruits.

3. HERBS AND SPICES

On herbs and spices, I want to look at the benefits too in terms of nutrition, the reason why it’s a good venture, lucrative you can say.

1. Basil – There are two types; large leaf Italian basil and large purple sweet basil, this plant is popular in many cuisines but also in foods like pizzas, salads, sauces et cetera. Basil has health benefits of antioxidants and is a defense against low blood sugar. 

Basil Herb

2. Cilantro/Coriander – Cilantro is also known as coriander leaf or Chinese parsley. Cilantro is perfect for adding to spicy foods and cuisines. The seeds of cilantro are known as coriander. The plant doesn’t like it when the ground becomes too warm.

Coriander

3. Oregano – Oregano is also part of the mint family. Oregano is a perennial plant but in colder climates can be grown as annually. Oregano is used for flavoring and is a staple herb of Italian American cuisine. Though typically used in small amounts, oregano packs in some important nutrients. Just one teaspoon of dried oregano can fulfill about 8% of your daily vitamin K needs.

4. Parsley – Parsley is a mild bitter herb that can enhance the flavor of your foods. Many consider parsley just to be a curly green garnish for food, but it actually helps things like stews achieve a more balanced flavor. As an added benefit, parsley can aid indigestion. Parsley plants will grow to be large and bushy and is a good source of Vitamins A and C.

5. Bay Leaves – The smell of bay’s noble leaves reminds you of balsam, clove, mint, and some say even honey! Well known for its use in hearty stews and other long-simmering dishes with a slightly sharp, peppery, almost bitter taste. Add the whole leaves at the beginning of the cooking process and remember to remove them before serving. 

6. Mint - There are several varieties of mint. Mint freshens the breath and will help to calm your stomach. But if you grow mint, remember that it’s considered an invasive plant. Mint will spread and take over your garden. It’s best grown in containers. Mint leaves trigger the release of extra bile from the gallbladder, which is important because it helps the body digest fat.

Mint Herb

7. Sage – Sage is an aromatic herb that is great for seasoning meats, sauces, and vegetables. But be careful because sage will have a tendency to overpower other flavors. Sage also helps to relieve cut pains, inflammation and helps with memory issues. It was once thought to be a medicinal cure-all. Sage is an easy herb to grow and is relatively easy to care for. It’s great in your garden for attracting bees.

8. Lavender – Grown for use in salads and dressings, lavender will give most dishes a slightly sweet flavor. Lavender syrup and dried lavender buds are used for making lavender scones and marshmallows. Health benefits include the soothing of insect bites and headaches when used with herbs and aromatherapy. Lavender plants will survive in many growing conditions but do best in full sun in warm, well-drained soil.

9. Rosemary – Rosemary is one of the most flavorful herbs and is great for adding to food like meats, and vegetables. The fragrant plant is a delightful scent and is sometimes used in floral arrangements. Rosemary likes its soil a bit on the dry side, so be careful not to overwater. Allowed to flourish, a rosemary plant will grow into a full-sized bush. A good source of iron, calcium and vitamins A, C, and B-6, rosemary has been used for its medicinal purposes for centuries.

Rosemary Herb

10. Thyme – Thyme is a Mediterranean herb with dietary, medicinal, and ornamental uses. The flowers, leaves, and oil of thyme have been used to treat a range of symptoms and complaints, these include diarrhea, stomach ache, arthritis, and sore throat.  

I’d say it’s a healthy profitable venture. 

We are always happy to provide you with more details about most profitable fruit and vegetable farming in Kenya and how you can access both the local and international markets. You can always reach us on phone or WhatsApp on 0724698357 or 0723213602.