Kerys Kool Fresh, a grower and exporter of fresh exotic fruits and vegetables is looking for farmers specifically from Eldoret region to supply them with passion fruits for export to the international market.
“The company buys the produce at different prices depending on whether delivered in Nairobi or take from the farm level. At farm level the price is usually between Sh70 to Sh100. If delivered to Nairobi by the farmer, grade one price ranges between Sh120 to Sh140,” said Simon Kirima, the operations Manager at the company.
The payment mode depends on what is agreed but mostly its between cash on delivery to seven days on delivery. It can be either through Mpesa or
cash deposit to the suppliers bank account.
Kerys Kool Fresh either buy on Monday or Fridays or any other day agreed and prefers delivery of at least two tonnes.
The company says passion fruits grown in the Eldoret region mature faster in 60 days and a have a deep purple color when ripe preferred by consumers.
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As of April 2018, a 57kg bag of passion fruits was retailing at Sh4125 down fromSh4523 recorded in March according to data from the Agriculture and Food Authority.
Kenya produces an estimated 55,300 metric tonnes of passion fruits annually valued at Sh1.9bn.
The fruit is used to make fresh drinks such as juice.
Besides buying passion fruits, Kirima is also promoting the adoption of passion fruit farming in the North Rift region at a time when maize production is dropping in the region due to Fall Armyworm invasion.
“In this, the procedure starts by either calling or writing to us we hold a meeting to discuss, then we visit the farm and advice on many
things like the soil test, seedlings to plant, how to transplant and other agricultural practices,” said Kirima.
According to the ministry of agriculture maize production in Uasin Gishu dropped from 4.4m bags in 2016 to 3.7m bags in 2016.
Kirima spoke to FarmBiz Africa on Friday June 6th on the conclusion of the international flower trade expo that was held at Oshwal Center in Nairobi Kenya.
The expo brought together more than 200 fresh produce growers and exporters of flowers from Kenya and international markets such as Netherlands, United Kingdom, France and Germany.
This comes at a time when exports values of fruits and vegetables increased by 23.3 per cent and three per cent, respectively in 2017 according to the 2018 economic survey report released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics in April this year.
In this, fruits earned Kenya nine billion shillings in foreign exchange on export volumes of 56,945 tonnes while vegetables raked in Sh24bn on export volumes of 87,240 tonnes.
Production of fruits increased from 48,700 tonnes to 56.945 tonnes while production of vegetables increased from 78,800 tonnes to 87,240 tonnes.
“One hectare of land can yield 15 to 20 tonnes of the produce enough to earn farmers up to one million shillings compared to maize which earn between Sh35,000 to Sh60,000 per acre,” said Kirima.
Kirima can be reached on +254 722 696 180.