Kwale passion farmers to reap big from new varieties

By BENARD SANGA

KWALE COUNTY: Passion fruit production in Kwale County is expected to shoot up threefold this harvest season after the successful introduction of high-yielding and drought resistant varieties.

Stakeholders said the yields would increase from 500 metric tonnes, realised in the last harvest season, to 1,500 metric tonnes in the one coming up.

Small scale farmers’ interest in the crop has also increased after the successful formation of collective marketing leading to an increase in farm gate prices from Sh14 per a kilo to Sh45, according to the farmers.

The farmers said prior to the establishment of the collective market structure and the setting up of buying centres they relied on middle men who bought the produce at Sh7 per kilo.

BETTER PRICES

Efforts to revive passion fruit farming are being spearheaded by the Micro Enterprise Support Trust (MESPT).

According to the organisation, there are over 300 small scale farmers spread in Matuga and Msambweni sub counties currently farming the fruit. “More farmers are getting interested in the crop and with close working relationships with the ward agricultural officers, we hope to spread to other parts of the county especially in Lunga Lunga sub county thus an expectation of increase in number to 500 farmers,” said Clarice Bugo, the MESPT business development officer in Kwale.

She said the first harvest for the new drought resistant varieties, Brazil and KPF4, introduced by the Kenya Agricultural Research Institution, would start in June.

The varieties she said have “a proven resilience to drought as seen in the field right now despite the fact that we have not had rains since November last year.”

 She added that the new varieties also produce bigger fruits that have more juice and thus an advantage to farmers during sales as they are paid in terms of weight.

A passion fruit value chain analysis study carried out by MESPT in 2011, funded by DANIDA, revealed that scattered production, disintegrated small holder farmers, and disorganised marketing had led to poor prices. The study found out that there were over 3,800 passion fruit farmers with 707,114 stems planted on 425 hectares in Kwale.

The sector generates Sh154 million at the farm gate annually, while production stands at over 8,200 tonnes.

Farmers are upbeat that the sector will surpass these figures and increase their earnings buoyed by ongoing price negotiations.