By MaryAnn Musilo

Kabarak Farm in Nakuru County now has tractor suppliers demo its hired tractors ahead of harvesting after losing more than 12 per cent of one harvest to a faulty machine,

Erick Kigen, the farm supervisor, said tractor quality was now a priority after the farm lost more than 12 per cent of a crop harvest to a faulty combine harvester it hired, which had header and cutting issues.

“One of the four tractors we hired was loosening the grain off the machine. On the 50 acres this particular tractor was harvesting, we got 17.5 bags of 90kg of wheat compared to the rest where we got 20 bags,” said Erick.

The faulty header vibrated excessively, shaking off grain before it could be collected by the machine, ultimately lowering output per acre.

“We now call the tractor’s owner when booking for harvest, and ask them to do maintenance. On the harvest day, the tractors then harvest on a 30 square meter for a demo,” he said.

Across the farm’s 380 acres, the harvest takes about two weeks, with four tractors required to complete the job efficiently and avoid delays that can expose the crop to losses through shattering or unexpected rains.

“We pay Sh3,000 per acre for the tractor to harvest, harvesting around 20-25 bags of wheat per acre,” he said. But timing is critical.

“Wheat is harvested around 12pm so that the dew, which is always present in the morning, is dry. This is to ensure we get the correct harvest moisture which is between 14 per cent and 18 per cent, hence taking longer to harvest.”

The right moisture matters in preventing post-harvest losses to moulds, and particularly aflatoxins, that spoil the crops and cause rejections, meaning the farm needs to harvest as rapidly as possible in the hours when the crop is driest.

This is why it hires a combine harvester, which is a complex tractor that removes the grain and leaves the stalks or straw standing, or drops them in windrows behind the machine for collection.

After harvesting, the farm uses the straw that is left behind.

“Because the wheat has already matured and dried while standing, the straw often requires less drying time than grass hay. However, it must be dry enough to prevent mould. A tractor-pulled baler then picks up the dry straw and compresses it into bales,” he said.

The bales are made in different sizes depending on the length and condition of the straw, making them suitable for different uses. Unlike hay, which is a nutritious fodder, wheat straw is mainly used for animal bedding, mulching, and erosion control.

“Buyers come to collect the straw at the farm. We mostly sell at Sh100, where we get between 80-120 bales of 20kg per acre. Buyers are horse keepers, mushroom farmers and livestock farmers,” he said.

This delivers an extra Sh10,000 of income per acre on top of the wheat income, which more than covers the cost of the hired straw bailer.