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Potato Farming
Derrick.joker
#21 Posted : Monday, June 20, 2011 4:41:46 PM
Rank: New-farer

Joined: 6/19/2011
Posts: 11
radio ebu hit me asap at derrick.joker@gmail.com then maybe i can get ur contact and we can have a chat and link up.want to get goin next mobth so kindly guys get in touch asapest
subzero
#22 Posted : Monday, June 20, 2011 9:50:10 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 1/10/2008
Posts: 365
in Kinangop, there are two types of bag. small bag (kamucuko) and big one. (the one that is approx 160kg(extended)). Please clarify which one you say.

current prices are BAD !!! . Kuna overproduction and the market is not able to consume more regardless of how low the prices go.
Around feb/march, the big bag was going for around 4000, the same has steadily gone down to 1000.

In kinangop, current production per acre is between 15 and 40 Big bags per acre,

Production is affected by alot,
whether you applied fertilizer or manure or both
whether you tilled the land well and in good time.
Whether you applied dawa well and in good time,
natural factors: including excess rain is the one of the worst and most unexpected, you'll see your produce disappear as you watch
Excess cold (baa) is bad for potatoes. These places can be chilly and even ice falls and this affects waru badly,

Also, while looking for land, please note that different soil colour affects the colour of your waru and hence the marketability .
there is the ashy type (kimuhu), its not favoured
and we have the dark (almost reddish) soil, its best in kinangop (toney).
Production is not different but their prices differ.
For example, current market price(at the shamba) for kimuhu big gunia is 1000, while for toney you can bargain 1200.

Also, the type of seed matters alot , but in kinangop the ‘sangi’ variety is almost default.
In other areas you might find other varieties like tana (white) and the red variety.

Most areas in kinangop that aren’t too far inside are renting the shambas at 15k per year and some are charging even more .
If you plan to do large scale, i would recommended areas are mau narok,
Land there is cheap at like 7k per acre
Production is better
You are likely to have large tracts of land unutilized as opposed to kinangop where its hard to find even 3 unitilized acreas


Derrick.joker
#23 Posted : Monday, June 20, 2011 11:09:20 PM
Rank: New-farer

Joined: 6/19/2011
Posts: 11
thanks subzero... now wwe making progress..ebu hit me on my mail asap derrick.joker@gmail.com u seem to have done it or have the know how so we could link up and have a chat soonest..ur aptest response wud be much valued
subzero
#24 Posted : Wednesday, June 22, 2011 11:54:48 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 1/10/2008
Posts: 365
Derrick.joker
#25 Posted : Friday, June 24, 2011 10:59:26 AM
Rank: New-farer

Joined: 6/19/2011
Posts: 11
haya thanks subzero for the 411...hopefully people will out visit kenchic and the demand will rise higher again so that we get richer soon
eupassie
#26 Posted : Thursday, September 01, 2011 6:08:26 PM
Rank: Hello

Joined: 8/29/2011
Posts: 1
hey all. am planning to start potato farming on my 7 acre land in this area, and from the comments av seen about the prices am disappointed. for those who have been in this farming business please advise what else one can plant and get good returns, and can i plant red onions in this area coz i heard they have a beautiful returns. please advise
subzero
#27 Posted : Friday, September 02, 2011 6:12:11 AM
Rank: Member

Joined: 1/10/2008
Posts: 365
You cannot plant red onions in this area because onions need warm climate, then onions need water and mostly this area depends on rain only.

i've heard people do french beans for export, but the demand is not always there.
Or if you have a water source, you can do cabbages, in that case if you produce good cabbage during the dry season, you hit riches instantly, then on the flip side, you'll barely make anything from cabbages during the rainy season

same case applies to peas(minji), you can make alot of money, if you can produce during the dry seasons
richdad
#28 Posted : Friday, September 02, 2011 11:47:44 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 2/12/2010
Posts: 474
Location: Nairobi
The potato business is best if you are the middle man. Connect the farmers to the market especially long distance like Kinangop - Mombasa. If you can get a good " FH " hire or otherwise you will be smiling all day. (Take time and study who benefits in the waru business)
There's this tendency with farming that you get a huge loss for the first three harvest and are always encouraged by "veterans" to push on. Ati will one day "recover" all your losses. It may never happen. Ignore the ideas on timing. Its almost impossible as weather in most of these area is quite unpredictable, and harsh at times. The risk is quite high.
With good transport, you can easily buy from the farmers and when getting back from soko, carry some "maasai" manure for them.
Word of caution though: Start the business when the produce is scarce.
Wish you well.
p/s Remember to share the success story.

Keep it simple
Njung'e
#29 Posted : Sunday, September 04, 2011 12:37:12 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 2/7/2007
Posts: 11,935
Location: Nairobi
richdad wrote:
Start the business when the produce is scarce.
Wish you well.
p/s Remember to share the success story.


Currently doing a 10.5 acre piece for the third season and hope to add a further 6 acres at the start of next year.....Let's say you have not been there and therefore,not good enough to comment.Thank you!
Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.
incognito
#30 Posted : Thursday, November 03, 2011 10:32:24 AM
Rank: Member

Joined: 6/29/2011
Posts: 233
Njung'e wrote:
richdad wrote:
Start the business when the produce is scarce.
Wish you well.
p/s Remember to share the success story.


Currently doing a 10.5 acre piece for the third season and hope to add a further 6 acres at the start of next year.....Let's say you have not been there and therefore,not good enough to comment.Thank you!


Now Njung'e... let's revive this discussion. How is it going so far? I am planning to start farming.
Excelsior
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