PROFITABLE APPLE FARMING IN KENYA
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The saying goes that apple a day keeps the doctor away it’s a commonly used mostly to describe the importance of apple consumption. Using a recent survey Kenya imported 4000 tonnes of apples in 2016 representing about Ksh. 160 million. This shows the high demand of apples that many farmers are not meeting locally and for the agripreneurs that’s a good opportunity to invest in. Most parts of Kenya are ideal for apple farming and with more than 400 known varieties we as oxfarm organic will guide you to know the best varieties suited to your area of farming.
Health benefits
- Apples are rich in soluble fiber which has been shown to reduce intestinal disorders.
- Helps in control of insulin levels by releasing sugar level slowly in the blood stream.
- Lowers cholesterol levels and the risk of respiratory diseases
- Cleans and detoxifies the body
- Strengthens the heart and quenches thirst
- It’s a good control of obesity
The most commonly grown varieties of apples in Kenya include winter banana, anna, top red, brae burn, Fiji, golden dorset, and cripps lady.
They prefer sandy-loamy soil that run deep and drain easily with a recommended PH of 5.5-6.5. spacing of 3m by 3m and planted in a hole measuring 2ft by 2ft. Require rainfall of 800-1100mm per year.
For the grafted apple varieties they start fruiting as early at 9 months but full profitability on the fifth year with a tree having more than 20 years life span. A mature well managed apple tree can produce more than 500 fruits in a season. An acre at a good spacing can accommodate 500 trees where at farm gate a fruit retail an average of 15-30. Hence a single tree can give a return of an average of 10000, and a one acre apple orchard can give a return of Ksh 500k. An apple fruit can be stored for four to eight months and even more when refrigerated.
RELATED: THE FUTURE OF HASS AVOCADO FARMING
MANAGEMENT
Require pruning on first two to three years to attain a desirable shape of the tree and also remove the unwanted branches, it require low temperature of 13 degrees to break dormancy but early dormancy can also be triggered through the use of chemicals or mechanically through defoliation of leaves.
CONTROL PEST AND DISEASES
Major pests are birds, aphids, thrips, spider mites, fruit fries, and codling moth
Diseases include apple scab, powdey mildew and armiralia root rot
Preventative control for these pest and diseases is ensuring certified seedling that are free, also observe high standard hygiene in your garden.
For more on how to control of pest and diseases, varieties suitable for your area, certified seedling visit us in our offices hermes house Tom Mboya Street 1st floor. Or click here to order seedlings.
follow us on twitter @OxfarmAg
http://oxfarm.co.ke/shop/tree-fruits-seedlings/apples-trees-seedlings/
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Good morning. Am interested in Apple farming. I have 1/4 acres in kagio kirinyaga. Can they do well there ?
yes apples can do great at Kagio.
I wanted to see apple tress full not section taken from somewhere else. Can you at least post fully grown up trees from your farm. Many apple farmers only post these sections (why) are there no fully matured trees like 50 of them in one farm the way we see coffee or oranges?
Jambo I planted 100 trees and they do well
Can apples grow well in Nyamira county
They will do well there
I’d like to have seedlings for apple. How can I get them and the price please
Good afternoon, we have responded to your inquiry on your email address.
Thanks you for choosing OxfarmAg Limited.
Kind regards,
DN.
can Apples do well in Kilgoris -Transmara Narok county..??
Yes some apple varieties can do well in Kilgoris. Contact us on 0723662773 to know better
Can apples do well in kakamega?
Apple farming is not as easy as portrayed in features. In the event that this message ever sees the light of day the truth from my view is as follows. Seedlings not readily available. Ready existing farms not readily accessible. Brokers and conmen cheat farmers the way done during quail farming disco. I bought and planted 100 trees. They did very well initially. Infact there was overbearing. Later I pruned them and landscaped the orchard. I had to companion plant with tree tomatoes, passion, pepino and kale for economies of scale. I have already realized return over investment from tree tomato (tamarillos) pepino melon, and passion. Had my activity relied purely on the apples and had I borrowed cash I could have burned my feet. Please trust no write-up until you see actual production by visit on the farm. Plant the orchard with ready market. Do not rely on seedling producer for marketing details.
Can Apple grow well in h/bay rangwe
Good Morning Taro,
Thank you for showing interest in our fruit farming and thank you for choosing OxfarmAg.
Apple farming is very lucrative, we have the Pink lady and Annah Apple varieties in stock, but we recommend you do the Anna Apple variety because it will be able to withstand the climatic condition in your region, the pink lady variety will not do well in your region.
For more information on the anna apple variety or any other fruit tree seedling kindly feel free to revert to info@oxfarm.co.ke or contact our area representative on 0706222888/ 0710588060.
Thomas Chepkiyeng. J am interested in Apple farming.Can it do well in Elgeyomarakwet, Cherangany.Is market for apples available in Kenya and what is the cost of 1kg.Where can j get the seedlings and what is the price of each.
Noted it’s good to do proper research thanks .
How do find apple seedlings in business county. Can they do well?
In Busia county
Can apples do well in taita taveta county
Thank you for contacting OxfarmAg, we have responded to your inquiry via email. Thank you for choosing OxfarmAg.
Hello,can apple do well along the coastal line of Kenya,especially lamu,considering the temperatures?
can apples do well in kapenguria?
hello,
My name is Kefa from Trans Nzoia County -kitale town.
My question is,can apples do well in trans nzoia?
How much do you sell apple seedlings and how can i get them to kitale
Regards,
Kefa
This post offers clear idea in favor of the new viewers
of blogging, that truly how to do blogging.
Can I get a variety which can do well in nyanza region
Can apple do well in kericho couny
Can apples do well in machakois?
Hello, can apples do well in Western Kenya?
hi I planted some apples from seeds its now six months the apple are just growing tall now at 3 feet tall without branches what do i need to do to them?
Hi I am interested in apple planting, I started by planting from seeds they but am wondering that they are now about 8months, they are about 1.5m tall without branching, Can I cut the tip to enable the start branchng? Whats your advice.
Evans I’m interested but I’m not sure if they can do better in Siakago?
Can apple do well in Kisumu. If so, which variety?
why don’t you want chlorofil in your cbd oil?
In need of 100 apple seedlings in Nyamira County,any leads?
Can apples do well in siaya
Can apples do well in Nakuru
Hello,can apples do well in Nandi county, in need of grafted apples seedlings if it does.
Hi can l get Fuji , golden Apple and blue berry from your organisation?
Can they do well in meru – Giaki area?
I want to grow apples in kisumu county but my land is rocky; avocados,mangoes,pawpaw’s and oranges do well here. can apples also do well on this kind of land ?
Can apples do well in opapo rongo
Can Apple grow well in h/bay rangwe
Can apple do well in Mitunguu lower Meru zones bordering tharaka nithi County (semi arid ) place
i am interested in apple farming. I have land in kabarak, is the place suitable for that?
Do you have field officers who can visit a support with this venture?
Very useful insight here,thank you
I am interested in apple farming.which variety of apples do well in outskirts of Eldoret and where am i going to get the grafted seedlings.
Hii, where will I get grafted apples seedlings and which variety is grown in outskirts of Eldoret?
Can they do well in Makueni County??
Can Apple ? do well coastal Kenya? Malindi
Hi Samuel, we have responded to your inquiry via email. Thank you DN.
An acre can give an average of Ksh 5M annually, check your computation, not Ksh 500K
Thank you so much for the information. I have 10 trees of grafted apples but my apple fruits are very sweet, what might be the case? Kindly I need your help.
I’m sorry, I mean ‘ not very sweet ‘
Thomas Chepkiyeng. J am interested in Apple farming.Can it do well in Elgeyomarakwet, Cherangany.Is market for apples available in Kenya and what is the cost of 1kg.Where can j get the seedlings and what is the price of each.
Hello. I wish to venture into apple farming-0.5acre to start with. My farm is at Olkalou 2300M Asl… Kindly advice:Is there a variety or cultivar you can advice suitable for this chilly climate?? (Plums and pears grow very well ).
Hello! I stay at the foot of kisii highlands and i’m very much interested in growing apples. My quiz, 1. can they grow here and do well? 2. Where can i get the seedlings? 3. At how much per seedling?
THANKS.
Can apples grow in kisii
Can apples to well here in mid rongai and molo weather and if yes which varieties do well? Thanks
I saw documentary on Wambugu Apple Farming on TV and developed interest. I have a a farm near Oyugis Town, Homa Bay County. In fact I bought two grafted seedlings from Kisii town, which I have already planted.
Kindly advise me on where to get quality seedlings and how much they would cost.
Hey, interested in Apple farming.
Will it do well in Kapsoit, Kericho county?