Kenya coconut can earn Kenya Sh25b, expert reveals

By RENSON MNYAMWEZI

Taita Taveta County: Kenya has the potential of generating more than Sh25 billion annually from the coconut industry, authorities in charge of the sector have announced.

The Kenya Coconut Development Authority Managing Director Francis Fondo said coconut farming could generate more for the economy if fully exploited.

“We are currently earning Sh6 billion instead of the projected Sh25 billion. There is a lot of potential in coconut farming which is yet to be exploited to benefit citizens in employment and poverty alleviation,” said the MD when he paid Taita Taveta Governor John Mruttu a courtesy call at his Wundanyi office on Saturday.

Available opportunities

He said after discovering this potential, his authority has embraced programmes to create awareness on the opportunities and business potential in the industry, the value of the coconut tree, its products and by-products.

The campaigns will also create possible linkages with international markets, producers, and service providers among others, said Dr Fondo.

“Market opportunities for the crop are available in Tanzania and the US but coconut production is below par. We need to take advantage of the available opportunities to improve production,” he said.

Fondo said coconut trees could immensely contribute to the country’s economy and should fully be exploited. Explaining that coconut farming is the mainstay and preferred crop for smallholder farmers alongside cashew nuts and mango at the Coast, Fondo said only 200,000 acres of land are under the crop cultivation.

New possibilities

At the same time, Fondo said emerging areas such as virgin oil, cococonut milk, desiccated coconut, and fibre were gaining prominence.

“We have a total of about 7.4 million coconut trees and they are old. We need to replace them for sustainability purposes,” he added.

Mr Mruttu asked the MD to post an extension officer in the region to help local farmers manage the crop and enhance production. “We have coconut trees in the swampy areas of Msau, Kishamba, Bura, Sangenyi and Taveta but farmers lack extension services to produce and add value to the crop.”

He said business opportunities from the coconut crop were many and encouraged farmers to diversify their farming activities for maximum benefits. Local farmers have persistently complained of being exploited by traders from Tanzania who buy coconut cheaply at Taveta and later sell them exorbitantly on the international market.