How to grow avocado fruit for export market (Persea americana)

Avocado fruit is an important export commodity from Kenya. Kenya has a place in the international markets alongside the other producer countries like Chile, Peru and South Africa. In Dubai 70 to 80 per cent of avocado fruit come from Kenya when the fruit is in season. There is also a specific window for Kenya, due to a longer season which runs from March to September enabling good returns. There is need for agro-enteprneurs to acquire the relevant accreditation including KenyaGap, GlobalGap and ISO compliance certificates to compete on a worldwide scale. The crop takes about 3 years to give the first produce. During this period fast growing crops may be interplanted between rows to ensure sustainability of income generation from the avacado orchard. One acre can give a gross income of Ksh 2Million per year with minimal inputs.

 Avocado Varieties: Fuerte and Hass are the main export varieties. Other varieties include Nabal, Puebla, Pinkerton, Tonnage, Simmonds.

Ecological requirements 
Altitude: 1500-2100 m a.s.l. depending on variety,

Rainfall: at least 1,000 mm p.a.

Temperature: 25-28⁰C,

Soils: Deep, fertile and well aerated, Optimum pH 5.5-6.5.

Propagation: Grafting or budding methods are used for  avocado propagation. Wedge grafting is preferred.

Nursery: Use healthy, egg sized seeds to produce rootstock.

Grafting: when the seedling reach pencil size thickness.

Avocado orchard establishment:

Land preparation: Remove tree stumps, bushes and perennial

weeds and then plough the ground to 30 cm depth.

Planting holes: 60 x 60 x 60 cm to be dug early before planting

Spacing: and 7 x 4 m for high density, 9 x 9 m for conventional planting.

Fertilizer: CAN

Age of tree	Manure (kg/tree)
1-3yrs	45
4-5yrs	45
6-7yrs	60
Over 8yrs	60

Pruning: 1st years pruning is done to encourage lateral growth

and multiple framework branching. Maintenance pruning

done annually after harvesting.

Windbreak: Placed at right angles to the prevailing winds.

Weed control: Manual weeding, cover crops (preferably with

Legumes) or mulching.

Harvesting: Avocado fruit harvesting begins in the 3-4^th year.

Yield: Production of avocado orchard is 250-300 kg/tree/year.

Post harvest: Cool storage within 24 hours

Utilization: Eaten fresh, used in ice cream flavouring,

base for milk shakes and soups. Oil is used for the manufacture

of creams, lotions and soaps.

Marketing: The main export  varieties are Fuerte and Hass.

Mint herb in Kenya

Mint herb originated in the Mediterranean. The plant can grow upto 10 to 120cm tall. The leaves are green and grow crosswise on the stem. The leaves are oblong and egg-shaped. Mints contain the volatile oil menthol, which gives mint the characteristic cooling and cleansing feeling. Common varieties include spearmint and peppermint. The mint herb removes bad breath and may help teeth and gums deal with germs. Leaves are often used by campers to keep mosquitoes away.

Preparation

Fresh mint herb should be washed before adding it fresh or cooked to a dish.

Consumption

It can be added to drinks and dishes as a garnish. It also makes a refreshing tea. The flowers are edible and make salads and sweets come to life. It flavors ice cream, chocolates, and other deserts with making them delicious.

It helps to reduce the effects of tannin and caffeine in your tea when used fresh in the teapot with your favorite tea.

Shell life

When fresh it can be kept for a short time in the refrigerator, or for a longer period in the freezer. Dried product can be kept at room temperature.

Climatic requirements

This is a cool climate crop. However Exposure to Full sun to partial shade is necessary. 

Timing of planting

Direct sow in April and seeds should sprout in 10-16 days. Bottom heat will speed germination.

Propagation

Mint herb in Kenya is propagated using seeds.

Starting

Sow seeds no more than 5mm (¼") deep in moist soil. The spacing is plants 45-60cm (18-24") apart.

Climbing beans are high yielding giving four times harvest compared to ordinary beans in Kenya

Climbing beans are high yielding giving four times harvest compared to ordinary beans

climbing beans are high yielding leguminous plants which are perfect for food security and agribusiness. The venture is a worthy undertaking as they will yield up to 22 bags per acre while ordinary beans yield about 5-6 bags per acre. Grown at a spacing of 1×1 metre 2 seeds per whole, one acre of climbing beans will hold 8000plants. Each plant can yields a minimum of ¼ Kg beans resulting to total yield of about  2200kg kg  from one acre. Sold at a cost of 60/= per kg, 22000×60=132, 000/= gross revenue per acre in 3 months only. The estimated cost of production and returns are shown below:

Item	Quantity	Unit cost ksh	Total cost ksh
Output	2200 kgs	60	132,000
Climbing beans Seed	25 kg	500	12,500
Fertilizer	1bags	3000	3000
Land preparation	10 md	300	3000
Stakes	4000	1	4000
Planting & staking	20 md	300	6000
Weeding	10 md	300	3000
Insecticide	300 ml	500	500
Spraying	2md	300	600
Harvesting	3 md	300	900
Threshing and winnowing	8 md	300	2400
Storage bags	40	40	1600
Transport	40 bags	100	4000
Total cost of production			41,500
Gross margin/ Returns in 3 months			90,500

Plant at the beginning of the rains using a compound fertilizer or inoculate with Rhizobium soil fertility bacteria. The plant largely grows vertically saving land space and is Ideal solution to land scarcity problem. Climbing beans growing calls for staking the crop for support with 2 metres long stakes as is the case in hybrid tomatoes farming. Canes from overgrown Napier grass can effectively be used to avoid destroying trees and avoid interfering with environment conservation. This means a farmer planning to plant climbing beans can leave napier grass from the previous season to overgrow and produce supporting stakes. Climbing beans have numerous advantages as they are leguminous and improves the soil fertility through nitrogen fixation. This makes it a good crop to include in the rotation program of the farm. The legume requires a shorter cooking period in addition to being tastier than the local beans.