Carrot Farming Can Earn You 375,000/= Per Acre: Here Is The Simple Guideline

Carrot farming has thrived thanks to a new high-producing, fast-maturing, and disease-resistant carrot variety from Kenya Highland Seed Limited. Farmers in Kenya may now harvest up to 17 tonnes per acre in just 100 days.

This Nantes hybrid type has a bright orange colour with a shallow flesh cover and a high vitamin content. It is 17-20cm in diameter and has a rounded tip.

Unlike other kinds on the market, Nantes is immune to Powdery Mildew, a disease that may wipe out 70% of a farm’s crops.

This variety’s average output per acre is nearly double the country’s average yield of 10 tonnes.

Carrot Planting

It is best to plant directly into seedbeds with finely prepared soil.

Make a 1cm deep furrow in the soil and plant 4-5 carrot seeds every 2.5cm while planting the seeds. Cover the trenches with the moist dirt you removed and wait for the seeds to sprout.

It’s worth noting that carrots take time to appear; this shouldn’t discourage you if no any changes right away.

Remove the additional seedlings after the seeds have grown to a height of 2.5-3cm, and leave one carrot every 2.5cm. Remember that you don’t need a ruler to achieve this.

After the growth has been going on for a while, repeat the technique. However, each crop should have a space of 8cm apart.

Thinning

Carry out thinning gradually over a period of 2-4 weeks after planting to establish a spacing of 10cm between plants and adequate room for optimum growth.

Weeding

Weeding begins two weeks after planting the crop, which coincides with the start of thinning. Depending on the appearance of weeds, the second weeding follows about 4-5 weeks after planting.

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Pest and diseases and their control

Aphids, nematodes, and cutworms all attack the vegetable. Powdery mildew and leaf blight are two prevalent fungal infections. Crop rotation is critical for addressing the issues. When planting, utilize disease-free and resistant hybrid seed. Chemical spraying is important when pests and illnesses are present.

Maturity

Carrots take approximately 3 months to mature after planting, depending on the type.

Carrot Farming in Kenya: Sun exposure and Irrigation

Carrots were once produced in frigid climates, but they now prefer the light, just so you know. Carrots should be grown in regions with plenty of sunlight.

When it comes to water, you must always maintain the soil moist and ensure that the water has permeated deep into the soil.

To summarize, carrot farming is a profitable activity in Kenya with a ready market. In short, you should not break or damage carrots when collecting them.

In general, it is preferable to pull the carrots from the soil by hand rather than using other farm tools.

However, if breakages occur due to accidents, it is advisable that the damaged goods not be among the ones that are ready for sale.

Inter-cropping

Carrots are best intercropped with leeks since they have a symbiotic relationship with them. Carrots keep caterpillars away from leeks, whereas leeks keep flies away from carrots.

Harvesting

When the roots are soft and juicy, harvest them. Late harvesting causes cracking, which lowers the quality. Harvesting by hand or with a shovel and the produce is pulled from the soil.

Export market prices for Kenya carrots

Kenya carrot prices have fluctuated throughout time. Before 2019, a kilogram of carrots cost US$0.25 in 2017 and US$0.21 in 2018. The export price increased by 8.966 per cent to $0.23 per kg in 2019.

Exports of Kenya carrots per kilo to Switzerland, Belgium, the United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands, and the United Arab Emirates yielded high returns in 2019. (UAE)

Export values for Kenya carrots

For the years 2017, 2018, and 2019, the total value of carrot exports in Kenya was US$ 2,476, US$ 3,010, and US$ 2,976 in US dollar thousand, respectively.

Carrot prices per tonne in Kenya were US$ 249.25, US$ 211.38, and US$ 230.02 in 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively.

Kenya carrots export values

For the years 2017, 2018, and 2019, the total value of carrot exports in Kenya was US$ 2,476, US$ 3,010, and US$ 2,976 in US dollar thousand, respectively.

Kenya Carrots costs between US$ 0.23 and US$ 0.21 per kilogram (or US$ 0.1 and US$ 0.1 per pound) in 2022. (lb). The price per kilogram is KES 25.06 in Kenyan Shillings. In Mombasa and Nairobi, the average price for a tonne is US$ 230.02.