By Henry Jami Mang’eni
Farmbizafrica breaks down Kenya’s three main coconut varieties; their production, maturity time, yield, lifespan, and the different qualities that make them attractive to various buyers.
Coconuts are unique multipurpose trees grown along the coast of Kenya. Depending on the variety, coconuts mature in 18 months to seven years.
They do well even in places where the water is saline, the soil is poor and sandy, and temperatures range from 21 – 30°C. The tree which is categorised as tall and dwarf does well in 1000 – 2500 mm of rainfall.
There are currently three varieties of coconut available in Kenya, the East African Tall, Dwarf, and the newly introduced Deejay Sampoorna Dwarf Hybrid
- East African Tall Variety.
These common indigenous coconuts have dominated the growing areas along the East African Coast.
They grow to a height of 30 meters which poses some challenges in harvesting especially for women because they can’t climb high and therefore incur extra harvesting costs by hiring men.
Its major characteristics are:
- Longer maturity period of 6 – 7 years, compared to the hybrid dwarf variety.
- Yield is 80 – 140 nuts per year which is lower than both the hybrids.
- Produces nuts of medium to large which are larger compared to the dwarf hybrid
- The fruit’s water content is measured at 200ml and it has a flesh content of 140 grams which is lower than the dwarf hybrid.
- Lifespan is up to 80 years.
- The Dwarf Hybrid Sampoorna variety.
Its growth is being promoted by the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) Mtwapa station supported by other partners like the Danish International Development Agency) (DANIDA), and the Micro Enterprise Support Programme Trust. (MESPT).
KALRO plans on having Kenya produce its own Sampoona hybrid dwarf variety after this first step of availing the Dwarf variety for farmers in Kenya.
- It grows and produces at a height of 5 – 7 meters. This height is friendly even to women and there is ease in harvesting and monitoring.
- Matures in 2.5 years
- The yield is high producing 250 nuts per tree in a year and the nut size is comparably bigger than the other two.
- Flesh production is higher at 200 grammes of copra in a nut.
- Flesh quality in terms of oil production is higher measured at 68 per cent.
- It carries a higher water content of 300 ml which is sweeter.
- The hybrid variety has a higher water requirement compared to the rest which means care has to be stepped up for good results.
- As much as it tolerates pests and disease care should be taken against the red palm weevil and the bud rot disease, a fungal condition which can be controlled by applying copper-based fungicides.
- It has a lifespan of 50 years and has a size of 600 gms before husking.
- Dwarf variety
- Grows to a height of 8 meters.
- Lifespan of up to 40 years
- Matures in 3 – 4 years
- Small medium nut size
- Yield of 200 nuts per tree per year
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