How to Choose the Right Crop for Your Farm so that You don’t lose money growing the wrong thing!

Crop Selection In Agriculture

Your land has been lying idle for some time. 

You’ve finally decided to grow something on it so that it can give you much-needed extra income. 

But you are in a dilemma. 

You don’t know, which crop to grow, how to grow it, and whether it is worth growing.

If you have ever found yourself in this situation, you are not alone. Most people—who want to grow something on their idle land—so that they start earning money—don’t know what to grow, where to start, or what they need. They don’t know the right crop for their farm, the amount of money they need to grow it, and where to sell the harvest once the crop is mature.

If you’ve ever been in this fix, consider this article godsend.

Why? 

You will never-ever struggle to decide what to grow on your rich farming land. 

Instead of choosing what to grow, will be easy ad drinking water. 

After reading this article, you’ll equip yourself with the right knowledge to help you choose the right crop for your farm.

Investing your cash in a loss-making crop will be distant the way the sun is far off from the earth.

So where do you start?

What do you grow so that success is assured the VERY first season you grow something on your idle land?

Remember choices have consequences. 

Growing a crop that is too common will put you in direct competition with hundreds of thousands of other farmers. 

You’ll be too many people struggling to sell to a few customers. 

On the other hand, choosing a crop that is too rare—is risky.  

Such a crop may not have sufficient demand. 

The risk of it rotting in your store or warehouse is sky high!

Does this little analysis make you feel like completely giving up on farming? Please don’t give up. Done well, growing crops often have a high rate of return— far higher than the rate of return of the stock market, and the real estate. 

You can get up to ten times your investment. For every dollar invested in farming get you ten to twenty more.

That’s why I am writing this to you. I want you to come to the right decision—on what to grow—easily and fast. The process of choosing a crop to grow, shouldn’t be a mind-boggling job. It should be a wonderful experience, just like spending time with a loved one…

How to tell if a crop is worth growing

•   The prospective crop should have a Predictable and Reliable market

Whatever you grow MUST have a wide acceptance and demand. People must be eager and ready to buy ALL or a substantial portion of what you desire to grow.

If you don’t want what you desire to grow to end up in the compost pit, consider its market. Invest in a crop that you are sure will SELL; several such crops exist. 

Just to mention a few of ALL SEASON-HIGH DEMAND crops; For vegetables, we have Kale, Spinach, Potatoes, Tomatoes, and Onions. For fruits, we have avocados, mangoes, and oranges. People need these crops—from January to December, 24/7 days a week.

Something worth noting about the market is the competition. 

If you decide to grow the above-mentioned vegetables and fruits, you will definitely face ugly and stiff competition. 

Nevertheless, there are times when these vegetables and fruits are in SHORT supply. You can take advantage of such times to beat the competition. 

Grow high-demand crops during times of shortage, when the weather is unconducive to many farmers, and you’ll smile all the way to the bank.

As you think about what to grow, don’t limit yourself only to popular crops. There are other less popular crops, herbs, fruits, and vegetables that are very profitable—if you find a niche market for them. 

Before you venture into their production, do thorough research. Search for potential customers, and persuade them to sign a contract with them, so that you are always assured of a market.

•  2      The amount of capital you require

Second, you must decide how much you are willing to invest in growing the crops and whether you have the money to do it. 

I am saying this because most investors often don’t have a clear picture of exactly what they need to put in farming. 

Some people underestimate the amount required and they end up broke before the crop they planted is yet to mature. 

Running low before the season ends means you won’t have the cash for other operations like harvesting, storage, transport to market etc.

•         Managerial skills

Third, you must consider your management competence. 

Some crops like tomatoes, potatoes, and cut flowers require the grower to be highly skilled or experienced. 

Others like avocados, mangoes, papaya, and kale need a little experience to grow.  Don’t grow a crop you can’t manage. If you must do, start small. Learn from experience before starting a full-scale production project.

•  Consider all logistical challenges

Fourth, consider all the logistics associated with growing the crop. 

Consider where you are going to; 

1. Source for inputs and its effect on the overall cost; 
2. Distance from the nearest market, 
3. and its impact on operations or marketing, 
4. Time of harvesting and time of arrival at the market. 

When you put all these four things into account, you’ll have settled on the three most ideal crops to grow.

Once you have settled on one to three crops—you have to know if your farm is suitable for them…

Your job is halfway done once you have settled on growing one to three crops.

I am saying this because a crop can make economic sense to grow, but nevertheless be unsuitable for your farm. 

This is because every farm has its unique and localized conditions that make it suitable or unsuitable for a crop.

Let me explain…

A farm could be in an area, with a climate suited for growing carrots, potatoes, or onions, but still prove unsuitable for growing those crops. 

The soils—of the farm could be black cotton soils—soils that can’t allow the successful growing of the aforementioned crops or could be other conditions like flooding on the land, or even diseased soil.

Other factors that may prevent the growth of the desired crop is a history of soil-borne diseases fertility, the quality of water among others.

Type of planting material

The type of planting material should be considered carefully.  Depending on what the planting material is, your costs will go up or come down. 

If you want to establish your crop from seed, the cost of seed is much lower. But if you expect to either use corms, tubers, cuttings, bulbs, or rhizomes, brace yourself because these types of planting material are, costly compared to seed, and a little difficult to handle.

Source of planting material

If your selected crop is going to be raised from seed, consider buying certified seed from authorized seed sellers. 

The certified seed produces crops that are resistant to disease, vigorous, and display uniform growth. 

Things get tricky if you want to establish your crop from vegetative materials like cuttings, tubers, rhizomes, and bulbs.

Sometimes there are no certified distributors of these planting materials. 

Where certified material exists, consider using it. In instances you can’t get certified vegetative materials like tubers, cuttings and the rest, order them from a farm with a history of good agricultural practice, healthy crops, and proper management. That will ensure that your crops are free from diseases and pests.

Think of how you are going to harvest the crops, and how you are going to preserve them for the market.

After spending much time growing a crop, a time will come that it must be harvested. As you do so, think of what type are you going to sell them in the fresh form, or you are going to process them further?

Plan for success

Get the right help and workers

Keep proper records and track expenditures

Consider integrated pest management

How to Grow Strawberry the Easy and Profitable Way

If your land is idle or is under any other crop Then you’ve lost millions of shillings. Today I want to tell you, how profitable strawberry farming is in Kenya.
Should you start growing the crop immediately; hopefully you will CUT DOWN on some of your losses. So the urgency of your response matters so much…

Strawberry farming will buy you those million shilling houses that are advertised on Sunday evening television. If you already have a house, it could buy you a Prado from one of those yards along Mombasa road.

 Paying your for your child’s education or mortgage shouldn’t be stressing- IF you grow strawberry. But wait…
One thing you need to know. The information you find here is not available elsewhere. In fact, farmers who are already earning big money from strawberry farming would rather shut up, that share this SECRET!
Today, I’ll help you dissect all the secrets of strawberry farming. So you can earn from strawberry— the easy and profitable way.
“Could this be true?” Hmmmmm…
Dear hardworking farmer,
Farmers in Kenya are growing strawberry, and are smiling all the way to the bank. What about you? You know how much work and money you put into your farm.
Therefore, you too— deserve all the riches that come from the soil. But you need knowledge on how to do that. Unfortunately, this knowledge is rare. And most farmers would rather die than reveal this secret to you.
You need to know how much capital is required to start strawberry farming, the market for strawberry if it’s a good investment, where to find the correct planting material and whether your area is suitable for the crop.
Here below are some testimonials from farmers making HARD COLD CASH from strawberry.

Of all crops that I grow, strawberry is my biggest pride and joy. I produce and sell seedlings to other farmers in Nyeri and Karatina. Not only does the crop draw high value locally, but there exists a rich export market for well-grown strawberries. Robert Kararu Title of report: The rich pickings in strawberry farming Source: Standard digital Nov 5, 2013. The demand for strawberry outstrips supply. One grocery asked us for 200 punnets [packets] per week, another wants 50 Kg per week, and a yogurt manufacturing company wants 300 punnets per week… We are not able to supply all the orders we receive on our own. Roughly we make as much as 100,000 shillings per week from this venture. William Njoroge, and his brother Robert Gitau Source: people daily.co.ke June 19, 2014 Last time I was looking for fresh strawberries in Nairobi, it was a bit of a headache. Seraah If you get fresh strawberry, they are pricey. Supermarkets package them in ¼ kg packs that sell for KES 250. Nicky Thompson

Here is why strawberry COULD MAKE YOU RICH…

• You can earn in two ways from the crop simultaneously; from selling the fruits, and sell the runners. This is because propagation of strawberry is through runners. One runner can sell for KES 15/=.
• An acre of strawberry can produce over 100,000 runners in a year. That means runners alone have the potential of generating over 1.5 million in a year for you.
• The crop is easy to grow; you can make a profit even from small spaces of land.
• The crop has a long lifespan. It can live for 3-5 years and produce fruits and runners for you if well maintained.
• The crop is easy to grow; you don’t need expensive equipment to harvest it- all you need is a hoe and your hands.
• The market demand for strawberry fruits is so high, while the market supply is at bottom…
• You harvest your fruit within 30-40 days after plants have flowered. Unlike in avocado where you have to wait for 5-7 months, mango 4-5months, and passion fruit 3-4 months.
• You can harvest 3 times in a year, unlike other fruits that can be harvested once— at most twice.
• One kilo of strawberry fetches you KES 400/=
• The plant can grow in various soils from sandy loam to clay.
• Doctors are recommending their diabetes and high blood pressure patients to eat strawberries. This is because strawberry contains high levels of potassium and magnesium help to regulate blood pressure and help promote nutrient function. The magnesium content also relaxes nerves and muscles and keeps blood circulating smoothly. This is a new and growing market for strawberry grower
• Strawberry is richer in vitamin c than citrus fruit. The very high content of vitamin C supplies 160% of daily requirement in one serving of 147 Gms of this fruit.
• You can earn over 3 million shillings a year from an acre of STRAWBERRY THE EASY WAY. You won’t have to apply for a loan to get that amount of money. All you’ll need is to invest a few thousand, labor, time, some marketing and you’ll get the money PAP!!!

So, which strawberry variety is suitable for you?
I would recommend you grow Chandler. This variety was bred by the University of California, and it produces medium-sized fruits of between 20-30 grams. Below, is a photo I took at the NAIROBI INTERNATIONAL SHOW of the strawberry variety.
Why Chandler?
You can produce 3 harvests per year from a single plant. The plant produces big, sweet fruits that will sell like hot cake once you harvest.
The variety is easy to grow; you can never go wrong…
Where do you get this variety?
You can get this variety from the many contacts across the internet, or a farmer near you. One question you need to ask yourself, “Would the advice he gives you to enable you to exploit the potential of the crop fully?”
Here’s a fact that you may not know about strawberry…
Did you know a hectare can produce 57.7 tons strawberry? Yes! Cyprus is doing it. The USA follows closely with 56.1 tons. You may say, “Those are developed countries.”
Here’s another fact about strawberry “Kenya has the best weather for strawberry, so we should harvest more per hectare.”
Here is my 50 cent piece of advice, “Buy strawberry runners from an expert.”
This is because there are over 30 varieties in Kenya. A first-time grower would not be able to distinguish- one from another.
THAT’S WHERE I COME IN. I will show you the Chandler variety. My runners have proven yield potential, and are free of diseases. Should you purchase from elsewhere, you could be left on your own to try your luck, or get a wrong variety.
Surely, that’s a bad place to be…
Yet you’d want someone to guide you- Who is a phone call away and who’d be willing to visit your farm.
Who’s ready to teach you: How to control diseases, the right fertilizers to use, when and how to harvest. So that you can succeed in every way!
Further, I am a graduate of Horticulture from Egerton University, not to mention the many years of field practice under my belt.
How much will these cost me?
Well, one runner costs 15 shillings. That means 5,000 runners will cost you KES 75,000 shillings. But consider this as an investment. In a number of months, you will start earning revenue, and this can go on for 3-5 years. These 5,000 runners will cover an area of 20 M X 20 M.
Here is the value that you will receive after placing an order of 5,000 runners

• Free technical advice on the type of fungicides, pesticides, and fertilizers to use. 
• A free PRODUCTION MANUAL worth KES. 1,000 showing you a step by step process of fertilizer application, pest control, when and how to harvest.
• A free KNAPSACK SPRAYER worth KES. 2,500
• A free 2 MONTHS SUPPLY of carefully selected FOLIAR FEED worth KES. 5,000 that will ensure rapid development of roots immediately after transplanting. The foliar feeds supply the most needed but deficient minerals in most soils in Kenya.
• A 20 kg bag of specially formulated HIGH POTASSIUM FERTILIZER worth KES 5,500. This fertilizer enhances fruit development. You will never find this fertilizer in any ORDINARY agro-vet shop around the country as it is imported from Israel. In fact, and this is a ‘SECRET’- this fertilizer is what will make you get amazing returns from your strawberry farm.

How much yield should I expect from the 5,000 runners?
You can harvest up to 1-2 tons from that space. But that will depend on a number of factors. Like are you using the correct fertilizer, how is the weather, are you doing some irrigation etc.
One kilo goes for 400 shillings. That means you can sell up to 400,000 shilling. If you remove your expenses form this amount, you could remain with as much as 250 K or more.

Contact me today for your order!! Call Haron Mogeni 0715-609418

PS: Don’t let this opportunity slip away from your hands…
PPS: You have all it takes to earn these amazing amounts of money from strawberry. PLACE YOUR ORDER TODAY!!
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO GROW STRAWBERRY, CONTINUE READING…
Conditions a favoring the growth of strawberry
Strawberries must be exposed to full sun and a uniform temperature of 20-30 degrees. They need protection from wind as winds dry fruit and plants during the growing season.
The plant can grow in various soils from sandy loam to clay. Strawberry will respond positively to high organic matter content in the soil.
Strawberry prefers slightly acidic soil with a ph of 5.5-6.5.
Where not to grow strawberry.
You should not grow where the following crops have been planted before. Strawberries, potatoes, beans, carrots, peppers, okra, eggplants, alfalfa, vine crops, have grown as certain diseases and insect pests, fungal diseases like black rot, verticillium wilt. Also avoid sites which have been infested with sedge, nut grass, quack grass, Johnson grass.
How to plant strawberry
You plant strawberries in holes big enough to slightly spread the roots out. And deep enough to bring the soil halfway up the crown. Make sure the crown is above the soil.
Management of runners.
Position the runners with about 15 cm spacing between them. Only allow a few runners per plant, then remove additional runners to promote crown growth.
The width of each bed should be limited to 60 cm to maintain easy access to the planting. Runner plants that grow outside the 60 cm should be pruned back into the bed to root or be removed if the plants become too crowded.
The runners can be positioned into the desired row width before they root and held in place with small stones, clumps of soil or hair pins.
Soon after planting, the crowns will produce a few leaves and flower buds. During the planting year, all flowers should be removed. This will encourage the growth runners and plant vigor.
The runners will be able to fill out the bed, leading to better yields the following year.
Spacing Of Strawberry Plants
Mother plants are 45cm apart in rows of 1-meter Daughter plants are spaced to root no closer than 4 inches apart. All other runners are pulled out or cut from mother plants.
The roots grow following a fixed pattern of three new roots emerging from each side of the base of the leaf. Generally, there are 20-35 primary active roots.
The root system is located mainly in the upper 20 cm layer of soil. The root system is shallow, with 80-90% in the top 15 cm.
A primary root lives for one year and is replaced by newer roots as new leaves are formed at successively higher levels of the crown. Fertility, water supply, and aeration at soil depths greater than 15 cm are a major concern.
Placing 2-3 cm of soil layer over plant bed after harvest will enhance new root formation and make the plant less vulnerable to cold and drought.
Fertilization
After the first harvest, in the second season, strawberries should be fertilized after rejuvenation. Water the fertilizer to get down to the root zone. This application is made in a vigorous condition and to promote new growth and thus the development of these new fruit buds.
Harvesting
Berries ripen 28-30 days after they bloom. The time between first blooms to full bloom can be 11-12 days. A great increase in the number of ripe fruit occurs over a period of first 4-6 days of harvest.
Berries are harvested every other day under normal temperature for about 6-7 pickings.
Avoid picking the fruit when the plants are wet. Keep harvested berries out of the sun and place them under refrigeration as soon as possible.
Pick berries when they are fully colored for optimal size and flavor. Berries do not improve in quality after picking.
Harvested berries should be sold and delivered within 24 hours to avoid spoilage. About six pickers can harvest an acre of berries or 10,000 pounds over the season.
An average picker can harvest 10 quarts per hour over the entire season. Under excellent conditions, up to 175 quarts may be harvested by an average picker.
Hand pick berries daily and pick all berries that are ripe. Toss out moldy berries to prevent rots from spreading.
Strawberry production can go on for 3-5 years if plants are vigorous bed is weed free and the planting is properly renewed every year.
Strawberry plants tend to be infected with leaf diseases which may result in declining yields if not treated timely.
To prevent overcrowding of plants reduces the incidence of leaf diseases then plants to 5-7 plants per 30 cm to 30 cm, next spread a light 1-2 cm layer over remaining plants does not bury the crowns.

Place your order today!! Call Haron Mogeni 0715-609418

PS: Time and opportunity happen to all, it’s only the brave who make use of every opportunity.
PPS: Opportunities tend to slip from people’s hands if not exploited immediately. Place your order today!!

How to grow spinach the easy and profitable way

Dear farmer,

You can earn 250,000 shillings per month growing spinach on one acre. Yes! This is very possible. Here is a little story of a multinational company with interests in agriculture all over the world.

That company is Unilever. Spinach contributes 28% of Unilever key crops. Tea contributes 16%; peas 13% while tomatoes and palm oil contribute 7% respectively.

One thing I do know, the big boys like Unilever know where the money is. It is nowhere else other than the production and processing of spinach.

Growing spinach is a golden goose, often misunderstood. Once you discover its secret, it will lay golden eggs for you — FOR A LONG-LONG TIME.

IF you are searching for fresh ideas that will help you earn more…

THEN, read on. After reading this article, you will realize spinach production is VERY-VERY profitable.

Your bank account will overflow with money. Raising school fees will be easy like rowing downstream. In fact your neighbors will be green with envy as they see you drive the latest Toyota model.

They will wonder as you drive past them, the source of your new found wealth.

If only they knew your secret…

Here are experiences of organizations and people earning a living from spinach.

After retiring from service in 1985, I ventured into poultry farming. My 12,000 broilers died in 1997 and left me desolate. I pooled resources and planted spinach on an eighth of my land as spinach grows very fast. In a short time, I started selling the vegetables. In a month, I earn up to 60,000 shilling from 1/8 acre Major retired Francis Mutua Ndolo Landless estate, Kiambu County Spinach is one of the key crops that Unilever is testing under its sustainable agriculture initiative. Growing for the future Spinach: for a sustainable future, Unilever. One acre of spinach yields 6 tons#Kenyans4Kenya project in #Moyale 64 acres on drip irrigation A tweet by The Kenya red cross

Here are some basic facts why spinach is increasingly becoming popular.

According to Dutch scientists from the University of Leiden, spinach contains tyrosine an amino acid that stimulates the production of dopaline a hormone enhancing mental abilities. The basis of Steve Jobs success was he ate foods rich in tyrosine like spinach, bananas almonds and peaches.

Source: fresh plaza.com

Spinach is rich in calcium, phosphorus and vitamin A.

So, what is the key to successful spinach production?

Here is what John Navazio an agricultural consultant says:

“To appreciate why spinach misbehaves, one must recognize the plants humble origins. It is a cool season crop originally grown in fall and winter in the Middle East.”

To grow spinach profitably you must understand its likes and dislikes. Spinach is a cool season crop. Temperatures above 27 degrees can retard its growth.

Second, spinach does not like an acidic soil. It prefers a soil with a PH of 6-7.5

It also requires light showers accompanied by periods of sunlight. Heavy rains lead to attack of spinach by downy mildew disease.

That is why there is a shortage of spinach in the months of April through May and October through December in Kenya. This is because spinach is devastated by downy mildew, a disease prevalent during the rainy season.

Downy mildew disease is very difficult to control once your spinach is attacked. This results to a biting spinach shortage during the above said months.

So, how can you take advantage of the weakness of spinach and earn good money from it?

FACT: Selling the vegetable in the months of shortage earns more. Therefore, you must time production to match peak market and shortage. To do this, establish your nursery at MID March for long rains season and MID October for short rains season.

Doing that ensures that the spinach is at the nursery in the time of heaviest rainfall. The seedlings will be ready for transplanting when the rain is subsiding. And will reach maturity when the rain is almost ending.

The reason why it’s best to establish a nursery during the rainy season is “you can easily control diseases in the nursery”

At the nursery, you can easily monitor diseases and spray suitable fungicides regularly.

Cover the nursery with a plastic sheet to avoid the plants getting excessive rain and avoid an attack by downy mildew disease.

Further, the nursery acts as storehouse of your spinach plants. They await there for the opportune time for transplanting.

Avoid growing spinach in low lying areas that are prone to flooding as flooding increases the incidence of disease.

From thousands to millions: How to grow Mangoes for income during retirement

Let me show you how an investment of 200,000 shillings in growing mango trees today on one hectare of land, will yield you Ksh 3,918,000 in eight years.
Show me any pension plan whose returns can beat that! I bet they’re very few, or none. Yet, what I am going to show you is real, and is backed up with fact, and figures from credentialed sources.
Don’t you want such an attractive returns from a low risk, high profit investment? Right NOW, I want to show you a Step-By-Step plan on how to achieve that— from the farm you have in your village.
You don’t need to worry about having a huge piece of land. You can start growing mangoes on the land you have.
This is why...
A tree can yield up to 1,000 fruits in a year. If you sell every fruit for 17 shillings, you will earn  One tree will earn you Ksh 17,000 in a year.
If your land can accommodate 5 trees, you will earn Ksh 85,000 every year for 30 years (30 years is the life expectancy of the tree) stress free!
This money may seem little if you only have five trees, but you can increase its value by purchasing a grade cow, chicken, or buying goats that will multiply the money when they give birth.
Or you can keep money for your child in a junior savings account for his school fees.
The money becomes sweeter if you have 200,300 or even 1,000 trees!
Interested?
Continue reading...
From the desk of Haron Mogeni,
Professional horticulturist and Farm manager,
Kiambu prison farm.

Dear farmer,
Getting high returns from your farm is a walk in the park if, you grow the right crop. This is because crops have a way of multiplying an investment by 100%, 200% or even 500% if you do the right thing, and they grow well.
Today I want to show you the shortcut to such unimaginable returns by showing you how to WORK SMART with mango trees.
But, let us start by examining why growing mangoes can increase your investment by over 517% if given time and managed well. A study conducted by a leading research institution in Kenya confirmed that mangoes are popular very fruits.
They found out over 50% of the residents of Nairobi and other towns buy mangoes when they are in season. Furthermore, the research showed mangoes are in high demand in Europe, Middle East and in the Far East.
Also, the population of Kenya is growing by 1 million every year. By the time the mangoes you grow today, will be in peak production, the country have 8 million more people who’ll need them.
However, let not the occasional glut of mangoes experienced in the market worry you. It is only temporary. This is because the demand for vegetables and fruits is rising faster than supply, while production is stagnant.
Just few years ago, we used to have a glut of avocadoes. But, nowadays we don’t have any. The fruit has become a highly sought fruit because of increased demand in Europe and other parts of the world.
The knowledge I will show you RIGHT NOW on how to grow mangoes. I will show you who the customers are, and where to find high paying customers.
You’ll get the right information that will give you confidence, and the ability to generate massive returns from your mango farming business.
Here’s what other experts are saying about mangoes.

Mango is known as a king fruit for a good reason. It has unrivalled nutritive value and offers an opportunity for household wealth creation. Josephat Mulindo research officer KARI Perkerra In The Organic Farmer, issue# 85 June 2012 Mango is the second most popular fruit in Kenya followed by passion. John Muchangi, The star in The most popular fruit and vegetable unveiled 29th April 2012 Over half of Nairobi consumers purchase mangoes in a month. Tegemeo institute of agriculture and policy analysis, Working paper # 16 Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is one of the high potential fruits in Kenya, suitable for different agro-ecological zones ranging from sub-humid to semi-arid. Despite the still growing economic importance of mango in Kenya, its production potential has not yet been fully exploited. Kehlenbeck et al, (World Agro forestry Centre ICRAF, Tree Genetic Resources and Domestication, Nairobi, Kenya) in  Mango cultivar diversity and its potential for improving mango productivity in Kenya The mango industry in Kenya has expanded considerably over the years, not only in size but also in geographical location of commercial and homestead plantings. As a result of this expansion, the mango fruit is becoming popular with the local population There is a great diversity of mango fruit type which permits considerable manipulation for various purposes and markets: juice, chutney, pickles, jam/jelly, fresh fruit, canned and/dried fruit etc. Given the multiple products, it is therefore a potential source of foreign exchange for a developing country; it is also a source of employment for a considerable seasonal labor force. Tony Simons,PhD Principal Tree scientist World Agroforestry Center

Prices of fruits are increasing around Kampala due to huge demand. Many traders around city markets are experiencing a shortage of mangoes, oranges, watermelon, pineapples, passion fruit and tangerines. Mangoes are becoming scarce each new day. That has led to importation from Kenya. Ms. Lillian Tuhaise Fruit dealer, Nakasero Market Kampala. There are many unexploited opportunities within Africa, which should be tapped. This is not surprising when out of the total remaining global arable land about 60% is in Africa. Population is also growing at a high rate and escalating food demand. Sammy Kariuki, Tymax Agricultural solutions The world trade in mangoes is stable and its production is growing. Countries in which production is still growing are Kenya, Egypt, and Vietnam. www.freshplaza.com

Why invest in mango trees for retirement?

The age you plan to retire at, does not matter. What counts is “Do you have sufficient cash for a better lifestyle, or enough cash to sustain the lifestyle you had before retirement.”
Prior to retirement, you would be thinking of a source of income that will support you, month after month for years without getting dry. Therefore, you’ll need an investment that will yield you money without fail.
There are hundreds or even thousands of ways of investing your money, but today I want to discuss on how growing mangoes can be the best investment ever! But let me make it more juicer. Read the report below…

Kenya Agricultural Research institute (Kari) has brought in five mango varieties from the USA. These varieties include Haden, Tommy Atkins, Van dyke, Sensation and Kent. They yield 1000 to 1200 fruits per tree. The Standard newspaper website, 31st March 2013 Kenyan farmers earn a fortune from mango farming.

Now the market price of one mango fruit is KSh 15. So, if you grow these trees, you expect Ksh 15,000 to 18,000 per tree! Now multiply this by 120, which is the number of trees that you can grow in a hectare. That is a turnover of Ksh 2,948,000 per year.

Qualities of a good retirement plan

Now what are the qualities of a good requirement plan? Any retirement plan should be low to medium risk so that you don’t lose your money.
However, you still want to generate enough interest from a retirement investment so that you can beat inflation, and preserve the value of your savings.
To do that you need to have a right mix of investments. You can invest in real estate, buy shares, and even join a pension scheme.
If you are looking at farming crops as a way of creating value, then I am here to give you the right information and prepare you in every way.
The good news about growing crops is that you have 100% control over your investment. In other types of investments, other people make investment choices on your behalf. But, in growing crops in your farm, you decide the level of risk.

If I chose growing mangoes, how to I beat drought caused by climate change?

There is nothing better at tolerating dry weather like trees. They have long taproots, which go deep down into the soil to sip water. Trees are even found (palm trees) in deserts!
You are a witness; trees are often the last plants to die during dry weather, but they don’t go down without fighting a very long dry spells. Now, that makes the growing of trees a low risk, high profit investment.
So, there are about 3 tree crops that you could grow assure you of an income even during dry periods. These trees include macadamia, avocados and mangoes.
However, today let’s talk about the mango tree, whose fruit is regarded as the king fruit. Further, the tree has the ability to resist the driest weather and remain green.
For instance, this tree has never failed to produce fruit year after year even in dry weather, for the people of lower eastern Kenya, the coast region and the rift valley; areas that experience frequent drought.
In fact, during drought, people in these areas survive on the fruit as they wait for the weather to improve.
However, climate change has reduced the range of crops that could be suitable for that. Especially here, in Kenya, climate change has often devasted farmers.
But, that should not deter you from investing in farming. The fact that traffic accidents are on the increase does not deter you from driving or travelling. I am sure what you do is to take precaution.

What you need to succeed in mango growing

You need trees that are in production a proper marketing channel, and value addition strategies.
So how do you get to having trees that are in production? You need to grow mango seedlings in your farm and care for them until they start producing.
But, you just plant any seedlings. To maximize on the returns, reduce risk, there is a need to grow early, medium and late yielding varieties.

Now, let’s discuss the economics of mango production

One hectare accommodates 200 mango trees spaced at 8 M X 6 M. each plant covers an area of 40 M² one tree can yield up to 1000-1200 fruits.
Here’s are some results of a study on appropriate plant spacing conducted in Brazil titled “Tommy Atkins mango trees subjected to high density planting in sub humid tropical in northeastern Brazil”

“Treatments consisted of five spacial arrangements of plants (8x5 M, 6x3 M, 5x2 M, and 4x2 M which resulted in the following planting densities: 250(control), 357, 555, 1000 and 1250 plants per hectare. in general high density planting caused reduction in vegetative and reproductive variables of individual mango trees, but had little influence on fruit quality. Above 555 plants per hectare, a significant decrease was observed in mango tree growth. furthermore there were decreases in the percentage of flowering, fruit yield per area. However,planting density up to 357 plants per hectare, increases fruit yield per area in comparison to the control (i.e. 250 plants per hectare)”               Carlos Antônio et al

The research shows that you can grow up to 357 mango trees per hectare without affecting the quality of fruits. I would however recommend growing 200 trees per hectare so that you can reduce the  management costs of the orchard.

The Kenya agricultural institute (KARI) has brought in five of mango varieties from the USA. The varieties include Haden, Tommy Atkins, Van dyke, Sensation and Kent. They yield 1000 to 1200 fruits per tree. The Standard, 31st March 2013 Kenyan farmers earn a fortune from mango farming.

You may be thinking how can a single tree yield between 1000-1200 fruits. A tree normally produces fruit in twice in a year. that means it will produce between 500 to 600 fruits in a season.
Here is what a senior researcher is saying on when the mango trees get into production.

In the main production area, the Coast Province, two supply seasons can be differentiated. The first and main season runs from November to February and the second from June to August. In areas of higher altitude such as Murang'a and Mwea (Central Province), the harvest season is 4—6 weeks later than at the coast, with a peak in February and March. Tony Simons,PhD Principal Tree scientist World Agroforestry Center

The characteristics of these varieties (grown for export) are listed below;

Valencia pride This mid-season variety yields large, elongated fruits with good taste quality and excellent appearance. It is difficult to store and as such must be transported by air. This variety has a niche position on the export market

Keitt The fruit is oval, longer and flatter lengthwise than Kent. Its weight is highly variable, ranging from 500 grams to 1 kg, which is a shortcoming for the export market. It is a late variety; the fruits are attractive with a variable blush depending on the exposure to sunlight.

Sensation This variety, of unknown parentage, originates from Florida. The fruit is small to medium-sized (280-340 grams), deep red in color with a few spots of yellow. Its main quality is its relative tolerance to blackspot bacterial disease. This is a mid-season variety adapted to the cooler areas of the sub-tropical zone, e.g. some areas in South Africa.

Kent The fruits reach maturity in the middle of the season. They are ovate, relatively large and generally weigh between 500 and 900 grams. The flesh is firm and has a pleasant taste. This mango matures very slowly and gradually. Fruits that are harvested close to maturity can be stored for a long time at cool temperatures. The fruit's excellent sensory qualities, the firmness of its flesh and its gradual ripening are all equally attractive features to retailers. Crop production protocol for mango (mangifera indica ) www.coleacp.org/pip

Here are some of the initial costs you are likely to incur when you decide to grow mangoes on one Hectare of land

Seedlings @ Ksh 200 x 200=	40,000
Plowing	12,000
Harrowing	9,000
2nd Harrowing (if was virgin land)	6,000
Irrigation	40,000
Making 200 planting holes and actual planting @ Ksh 100	20,000
Miscellaneous	40,000
Manure 2 lorries @ Ksh 4,000	8,000
Total	Ksh 172,000/=

Year	Number of expected fruits per plant	Income each fruit @Ksh15 a hectare has 200 plants	Cost of labor and other inputs like fungicides, weeding, pruning	Net income	Cumulative income
1	0	0	112,000	-112,000	-112,000
2	0	0	30,000	-30,000	-142,000
3	0	0	30,000	-30,000	-172,000
4	50	100,000	30,000	70,000	-102,000
5	200	400,000	100,000	300,000	198,000
6	300	900,000	100,000	800,000	998,000
7	400	1,200,000	200,000	1,000,000	1,998,000
8	700	2,100,000	230,000	1,920,000	3,918,000

Transplanting of seedlings

The seedlings flower 5-6 months after transplanting. Remove flowers for the seedlings are too weak and young to support fruit.
Mango production starts in year 3. The break-even point comes in the 5^th year, but it could come earlier if the mango orchard is inter-cropped with maize or other crops.

Is my area suitable for growing mangoes?

Well, it depends on the altitude of your area, and the amount of rainfall received. Mangoes prefer areas of moderate rainfall coupled with a dry season. A period of drought is necessary to stimulate flowering. Here is what experts say about suitable areas of growing mangoes.
Suitable altitudes for growing mango is between 100-1000 meters above sea level

The mango tree’s phenological cycle is strongly influenced by weather conditions. For mango trees to flower there must be a marked halt in growth. This occurs when there’s of a drop in average temperatures and/or a marked dry period. Crop production protocol for mango (mangifera indica ) www.coleacp.org/pip

Where do i get suitable mango seedlings?

Mango seedlings cost Ksh 200 each, but don’t worry of the price of the seedlings. A seedling has the potential to develop into a tree and yield you Ksh 18,000 year after year starting from the fifth year after transplanting for 30 years!
I have a number of seedlings in my nursery, but i can’t promise to have them beyond August 10TH. This is because the seedlings are in high demand, and and the timeliness of your response matters so much!

How to order for seedlings

First you call me, and inform me where you intend to grow the mango seedlings. This is really important because mangoes can grow well in specific areas. This info will help me determine if your agro-ecological zone is suitable for growing mangoes.
If your area is suitable, and you’re ready to place an order, we meet, and discuss mode of payment, the details of delivery and any other terms we agree on.

Here is what you will get if you buy seedlings from me

• Free technical advice on how to transplant mango seedlings to your field
• Free technical advice on how to maintain the tree
• Guidance on how to control pests and diseases of mango trees
• Show you how to time your production for the market so that your mangoes reach the market when their demand high

Contact Haron Mogeni today on Tel # 0715609418 orharonmogeni@gmail.com

Ps. Try growing mangoes today. Don’t let your farm lie idle yet it can mint you money. If you are able to sell the mangoes at 2 shillings more, you will see huge profits. Do the math for yourself.