You are probably thinking of cabbage farming as a business. You have landed on the right website. We are here to help you understand how to navigate through the world of agribusiness and food, and how you can make the best out of it.
Cabbage farming is not that difficult so I will try my best to summarize and give you the best information to get you started.
Cabbage Varieties in Kenya
We have a number of cabbage varieties in Kenya. These varieties will determine if you will get big or small cabbages for the market. An added bonus to some varieties is the ability to resist diseases and pests.
The all-time popular variety in Kenya is Gloria F1. This variety has been grown in Kenya for quite some time and has good characteristics such as;
- Can be harvested when it reaches 90 days.
- Have you ever heard of cabbage heads splitting? This variety is not prone to that. It also lasts longer after harvest. It is tolerant to diseases such as Black Rot and resistant to Fusarium yellows.
- It is grown on an open field farm at a spacing of 60 cm x 60 cm
- The plant population is 11,000 per acre
- The average head weight is between 3-5 kg
- The yield is between 30,000-50,000kg per acre
Other varieties include;
Copenhagen Market, Blue Dynasty F1, Baraka F1, Green Challenger F1, Pruktor F1, Riana F1, Amigo F1.
There are a lot of cabbage varieties grown in Kenya and explaining the characteristics of all of them will make this article longer and I am sure that is not what you want. I will link all the cabbage varieties here for you to go through them later.
Altitude & Temperature for Cabbage Farming
Cabbage farming performs well in regions that have an altitude between 700-2,200.
The optimum temperature for growing ranges between 16-20 degrees. Areas with higher altitudes receive more precipitation than lower areas. This may simply be because the generally cooler air has less capacity to hold moisture, generating clouds and precipitation more readily.
Water Requirements For Cabbage Farming in Kenya
You need rainfall of at least 500mm to be able to grow cabbages. Invest in an irrigation system if you live in an area that does not have enough rain.
Soil Profile For Cabbage Farming
Good soil is important for the growth of all plants. Your soil needs to have a pH range of 6.0-6.5 for cabbage to grow optimally on your farm.
Cabbage requires well-drained sandy or silty loam soils. The soil should be high in organic matter.
Test your soil pH and other soil nutrients if you are a bit unsure. Having the right soil profile will increase your chances of success so please, do not take this lightly.
How To Prepare A Cabbage Planting Guide in Kenya
A cabbage planting calendar will help you become a smart farmer. A planting calendar is a tool that will guide you to get the best income for your crop.
How does this happen?
We all know farming in Kenya has many challenges, and one of the main challenges is that of the market. A planting calendar will ensure that your harvesting season coincides with a period of high market price and demand.
These are some of the steps you need to take to come up with a good cabbage farming planting calendar;
- Do a survey and identify the time of the year when there is a high demand for cabbage. Cabbages usually have a high demand during the dry seasons. This means therefore that you need to plan and grow your crops to coincide with the dry season.
- Cabbage farming takes 3 months to mature. This means you need to look backward and start planning 4 months beforehand.
- Buy all seeds, fertilizer, and required tools early. This is will make your farm work easier as you move on.
Order an irrigation system from Makimara Limited after land preparation to ensure your crops have ample water throughout the growing season.
Harvesting Cabbages And The Process Of Selling
Reach out to the following places before harvesting your cabbages to get the best buyer;
- Local market.
- Schools.
- Hospitals.
- Brokers – They come in handy sometimes.
- Export Market.
- Groceries.
- Supermarkets.
These contacts will come in handy when your cabbages are finally ready for harvest. The harvesting process is entailed below;
- Cabbages are harvested after 3-4 months. This variation depends on the variety being grown.
- It’s easy to know if your cabbages are ready. The head should be firm when pressed.
- Harvest your cabbages on time to prevent cracking or splitting of heads.
- Cut the base of the cabbage with all its leaves when harvesting. This will keep it fresh longer.
- Handle your cabbage heads carefully to avoid any damage which might cause rotting.
Cabbage Farming Profit Per Acre
If God favours you and the market price is at 30 Ksh per Cabbage head then your profit analysis will be as follows;
References
- Sciencing: https://sciencing.com/how-does-altitude-affect-vegetation-12003620.html
- Food Revolution: https://foodrevolution.org/blog/grow-your-own-food-planting-calendar/
- SHEP PLUS
