Grow cash on Fruit farming-Macadamia Production in Kenya

Tree fruit that is appreciated by few farmers in Kenya despite of being a lucrative agribusiness, nut processing companies in Kenya provide direct market for nuts at a competitive price.Nuts are used in confectionery, cakes, ice creams and cookies. Shells are used as source of fuel for boilers. Macadamia cake a by-product of oil extraction is used as livestock feed

Varieties                                       

MRG 20, KRG15, KMB 3, EMB1

Ecological requirements

Altitude: 1500-2000m above sea level

Rainfall: from 1200mm annually

Soils: deep well drained, fertile loose soil with ph ranging from 5-6

Temperature:15⁰C to 28⁰C

Land preparation

Done 2-3 months before planting during the dry spell. Dig holes 60cm by 60cm by 60cm and add 10kg of manure, add 100g of TSP.

Propagation

Sow seeds with the white spot on the seed facing down, germination will take roughly 1-3 months. The root stocks are then grafted after 12 months using cleft method where smooth shelled varieties are used as scion and root stock. Transplant grafted seedlings after 8-10 months, add P fertilizer 50g per hole. Spacing for pure stand should be 7.5m by 7.5m, spreading varieties 10m by 10m eg KMB3, non-spreading varieties at 7.5m by 7.5m e.g EMB1

Pruning

Remove all side branches until the plant reaches a height of 1m. cut the central leader at 80-100cm.

Intercropping

With crops like coffee, banana or common beans

Fertigation

• Add about 20kg of organic manure per tree annually, just before the rains.
• Add S.A 200g per tree annually, NPK 17:17:17 200g per tree twice annually and should coincide with rains.
• Soil analysis will be better to get farm specific recommendations on fertilizer use.

Pest management

• Macadamia stink bug, spray with confidor or any other appropriate pesticide
• Stink bugs, use appropriate pesticide
• Macadamia nut borer, field hygiene in storage facilities, use insecticides such as atelic

Disease management

Root rot and trunk cancer, avoid water logging, drench with fostyl-aluminium, use organic manure or dress the cankers with copper fungicides.

 Harvesting

Start in the 3^rd year after planting, manure nuts are dropped from tress and dehusked 2-3 days after harvesting. Dry the nuts in open air for 2-3 days under shade.

Yield analysis

5 years old tree will give 3kg per year

15 years old tree gives 50-80kgs per year

NB: Tree fruit performance in terms of growth and yield will depend on best management, ensure manure and fertilizer application is done timely, carry out pruning in the appropriate way.

Following that most farmers are not willing to venture into nut farming, I would advise them to do it in an integrative manner. This will reduce risks and uncertainties coupled with crop failure.

Marketing and Value Addition.

Here is a list of some companies that process macadamia and other nut products