Onion Farming In Kenya; Guide | Xaxa Farms

 Is Onion Farming In Kenya Profitable

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Onions Farming In Kenya

Onions Farming In Kenya are one of the most widely consumed vegetables in the world. It is used in cooked foods or raw salads as a flavor additive and is also used to make pickles and chutneys.

Onion farming in Kenya can be profitable. Profitability depends on good market identification, good labor planning, especially during transplanting and weeding, and good post-harvest handling procedures.

Kenyan farmers have the opportunity to grow onions, as the country imports about 50% of its onions consumed in the domestic market of Tanzania. Indeed, Kenyan onion producers are unable to meet local market demand.

Onion  Price in Kenya - Onion Farming In Kenya

The onion market is huge as almost every Kenyan household uses onions as part of their daily meal ingredients. Currently, the cost of a kilo of onion varies between 40 Ksh and 60 Ksh and increases when there is a shortage in the market.

In the markets, traders generally prefer medium onions to large onions. This is because home users prefer to use an onion once, not leftovers as with large onions, and they also dislike cutting small onions. 

If you plan to grow the larger varieties of bulbs, you should target institutions and hotels as your market, as they consume large quantities of onions at a time. Other viable markets for onions besides fresh produce markets include;

• Hospitals

• Primary and secondary schools

• Hotels and restaurants.

What is the Best Month to Plant Onions in Kenya - Onion Farming In Kenya

For nursery seedlings, the recommended temperature is 20 to 27°C. High temperatures affect the production of onions, causing them to dry out.

Therefore, it is better to grow onions in cool, wet seasons than to harvest them in dry, hot seasons.

Best Variety of Onions to Plant in Kenya - Onion Farming In Kenya

There are two main varieties of onion in Kenya: the local variety and the hybrid variety.

Varieties are classified according to their shape, ripening period and skin color.

Here are the varieties of onions grown in Kenya. Seeds are available from Kenya Seed Company from Ksh 70 per kilo, according to the parent company.

The local variety of onions in Kenya include

• Red Creole

• Texas Grano

• Bombay Red

While the Hybrid onion variety in Kenya are

• Red Nice F1

• Rasta F1

• Red Coach F1

• Malbec F1

• Red passion F1

• Neptune F1

• Red Connect F1

• Rosa F1

• Ruby F1

• Red Pinnoy F1

• Sivan F1

• Jambar F1

The main advantage of the hybrid variety is that it can be grown anywhere. They are also resistant to perennial pests and diseases.

How long Do Onions Take to Grow in Kenya - Onion Farming In Kenya

The best time to harvest is during the dry season. Keep a calendar and record essential dates to ensure harvesting at the right time. Bulb onions are ready to harvest when they form a shiny, membranous cover around the bulbs or when the foliage dries out. Chives are ready to harvest when they are 15 cm high and 0.5 cm thick.

Harvesting is done by removing the bulbs and then cutting the leaves. Then dry the bulbs in the sun before storing the product.

Nairobi is currently experiencing the lowest prices at 825ksh per 15kg bag. This can be attributed to the fact that Nairobi is the capital and many farmers who produce the vegetable are located in nearby areas such as Karatina, Mai Mahiu, Emali and Kieni which have easy market access. Get more market analysis of our price trends to always be up to date on onion trends.

Is Growing Onions Profitable in Kenya - Onion Farming In Kenya

Onions can give a total yield of about 2000 kg if the yield is low and 5000 kg maximum. So let's calculate the yield per acre on an average estimate of 3,500 kg of onions from the table below.

How Much Does 1 kg of Onions Cost in Kenya - Onion Farming In Kenya

Remember, depending on the type of onion, the market price varies. The cost of garlic onions is Ksh. 350 kg, the Creole red onion is Ksh. 150 and chives is Ksh. 30, which gives us an average of Ksh. 180 kg.

Onion production	Quantity	Estimated quantities	Total Profitability	Gross profit
Average production	3,500kg	1Kg @ Ksh 180	Ksh 630,000	Ksh 515,000

What Fertilizer is Best for Onions - Onion Farming In Kenya

Onions need a high source of nitrogen. A nitrogen-based fertilizer (ammonium sulfate or ammonium nitrate) should be applied at the rate of one cup per six meters of row. The first application should be about three weeks after planting, then continue with applications every 2-3 weeks.

Fertilizer Before Planting - Onion Farming In Kenya

Before planting transplants or sets of onions, amend the soil with 3 inches of compost, which improves soil texture and provides slow-release nutrients. Add 1/2 cup of balanced fertilizer for every 10 feet of row and down to the seams to a depth of 8 inches. Use 1/2 cup of super phosphate fertilizer instead of a balanced fertilizer if you are planting onion seeds. Superphosphate acts as an initial fertilizer, promoting early and strong roots.

Fertilizer Growing Season- Onion Farming In Kenya

Onions need a constant supply of nitrogen to form large bulbs. Coat growing plants in early to mid-summer with 1/2 cup of nitrogen-based fertilizer. Use ammonium sulfate if your soil is alkaline, as this fertilizer lowers the pH slightly. Ammonium nitrate works well for gardens with acidic soil.

Spread two to three shovels of compost between the onions instead of fertilizer and spread it lightly on the ground. Be careful not to cut the bulbs with the shovel. Read package labels carefully and choose high-quality compost made from manure and composted plant matter. Avoid compost containing biosolids or sludge in the garden.

Considerations - Onion Farming In Kenya

Do not apply fertilizer after midsummer. Late fertilizer applications promote slow regrowth and onions don't hold as well. Along with the right fertilizer, onions need evenly moist soil to grow. Cover the ground with untreated grass clippings to conserve moisture. Spread the grass clippings 1/4 inch on the ground each week, allowing the clippings to dry before adding more.

Onion Diseases and Pests  - Onion Farming In Kenya

Onions are prone to a number of different diseases, especially during wet seasons. They usually start on your leaves and, if severe, can reduce bulb growth and yield. Onion diseases can also cause damage when they infect bulbs later in the season, which can lead to storage losses.

Three common diseases. Although it can be difficult to tell them apart without careful examination, there are three different onion diseases that are commonly seen in northeast commercial fields and other temperate growing areas: botrytis, mildew and the purple spot. The onions shown below can have all three of these leaf diseases. The best way to get a positive identification of the diseases present is to send a sample to a diagnostic laboratory.

Botrytis Diseases - Onion Farming In Kenya

Botrytis diseases of onion are caused by several different species of Botrytis, resulting in neck rot, gray mold or leaf and flower rash on onions and garlic. Another type of botrytis can infect onion seed heads and cause brown spots on the bulbs.

Control

Destroying trash piles and rotating onions for at least 2-3 years is important to help prevent inoculum buildup and reduce the likelihood of serious outbreaks. As these cultural practices are only partially effective and there are no varieties resistant to blast, onion growers must rely on repeated application of protectant fungicides for acceptable disease control. Some Michigan farmers use a weather-based computer program to schedule fungicide applications, eliminating unnecessary spraying.

Onion Blight - Onion Farming In Kenya

Onion blight is caused by Peronospora descructor. Symptoms appear on older leaves as oval spots that vary in size and are slightly paler than the rest of the foliage. With moisture, these areas become covered with greyish-purple fungal threads (mycelium) that contain spores that can spread to healthy tissue. Infected areas may be purple to purple in color, so they are easily mistaken for the original oval purple spot lesions. The leaves gradually turn pale green, then yellow. Diseased parts, such as leaf tips, bend and crumble. Infected bulbs become soft, wrinkled and watery.

Disease control - Onion Farming In Kenya

Disease control. Crop rotation and the use of disease-free seed are important to prevent serious disease outbreaks early in the season. In growing regions where late blight is an annual threat to production, farmers rely on fungicides to reduce losses from late blight. Protectant fungicides provide a moderate degree of control. If late blight is already established in a field, a systemic fungicide can be used to eradicate existing infections.

Onion Red Spot - Onion Farming In Kenya

Onion red spot is caused by the fungus Alternaria porri. It also causes disease in leeks, garlic and chives. The spores germinate on onion leaves and produce a small water-soaked spot that turns brown. The oval-shaped lesion enlarges, turns purple, and forms the target spot appearance that is typical of Alternaria in many other crops (such as tomato late blight). The bank may be surrounded by a yellow zone. In wet weather, the surface of the lesion may be covered with brown to black masses of fungal spores.

Disease Control - Onion Farming In Kenya

Crop rotation is important to keep pathogen populations from reaching high levels. Onion rotations are recommended for 2-3 years. Most commercial onion crops should be protected from red spot by repeated applications of protectant fungicides.

Fusarium Basal Rot - Onion Farming In Kenya

Basal rot is caused by the soil fungus Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cepae and usually occurs when the soil temperature is very warm (optimum 29°C). This means that in Ontario, the disease is not common every year in all regions. It is often seen in Spanish onions that grow in southwestern Ontario.

Pest - Onion Farming In Kenya

Mites - Onion Farming In Kenya

Stunted plant growth; reduced support; bulbs rotting on the ground or in storage; the pest is a creamy white bulbous mite less than 1 mm long, pearl-like with legs

Control

Do not plant successive crops of onion or garlic in the same place; leave the field fallow to ensure that any residual organic matter decomposes completely; crop residues can harbor mite populations; treating garlic cloves with warm water before planting can help reduce mite populations

Leaf miners Lyriomyza spp.

Fine, white, winding paths on the leaves; heavy mining can lead to white spots on the leaves and the leaves drop prematurely from the plant; early infestation can reduce yield; the adult caterpillar is a small black and yellow fly that lays its eggs on the leaf; larva hatches and feeds inside the leaf

Control

Check transplants for signs of caterpillar damage before planting; remove plants from the ground immediately after harvesting; only use insecticides when leaf miner damage is identified, as unnecessary spraying will also reduce populations of their natural enemies

Onion larva Delia antiqua - Onion Farming In Kenya

stunted or withered seedlings; the plant usually clings to the soil line if an attempt is made to uproot it; if the infestation occurs when the plants produce bulbs, the bulbs will become distorted and susceptible to storage rot after harvest; the adult insect is a greyish fly that lays elongated white eggs around the base of the plant; the larvae that emerge from the eggs are small and white and pierce the onion plant; Mature larvae about 1 cm (0.4 in) long with feeding hooks

Control

Onion caterpillar management is highly dependent on good sanitation; all onion bulbs should be removed at the end of the season as the larvae will die without a food source; commercial onion growers often rely on the application of appropriate granular insecticides and in some cases insecticide sprays are also required; home gardeners should try to remove all wild chives and onion plants as they can be a source of infection; floating row covers can provide protection by preventing females from laying eggs around plants

Thrips (onion thrips, flower thrips) Thrips tabaci - Onion Farming In Kenya

Frankliniella occidentalis

Thrips are most harmful when they feed on onions early in bulb development; onion thrips and western flower thrips have a wide host range and can be introduced to onions from other plants

Control

Natural enemies include some species of predatory mites, pirate bugs, and lacewings; avoid planting onions near grain fields, as thrips populations build up on these plants in the spring; overhead irrigation of plants can help reduce thrips numbers; apply appropriate insecticides at the first sign of thrips damage

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