Kenyan fruit farmers competing with imports

Fruits like oranges, grapes and apples are being bought from Kenya's neighbouring countries, especia…

Fruits like oranges, grapes and apples are being bought from Kenya's neighbouring countries, especially Tanzania, creating stiff competition for Kenya's own fruit farmers in Nyeria. Farmers in high altitude areas where oranges do well, are not supplying enough of the fruit, a problem attributed to climate change.

Mr John Wambugu, an agronomist at Wambugu farm, said farmers should adopt new methods to maximise yields.

"Farmers should ensure they have enough water for their crops in instances where there is low or no rainfall and also spray their crops against pests and disease," he said.

Traders, however, said they were making good profits from the imported fruit. They said they buy a 70kg sack of oranges for Sh2,000 and sell the fruit for Sh50 a kilogramme.

Ms Margaret Wangui, a trader at Whispers Park market, said she is making huge profits from pawpaw that she buys from Meru.

"I sell a kilogramme of pawpaw for Sh70 after buying them for Sh35 a kilogramme," she said. However, supply of watermelons is poor due to the heavy rains that have been pounding the area.