Kenyans see profit in dragon fruit farming
NAIROBI: Monica Waiganjo moves through her farm in the mid-highland village of Kithimani in the southeastern Kenyan lowlands with six farmers in tow. Waiganjo stops at intervals on a cactus-like plant to explain a concept to the eagerly listening farmers.
In recent times, her 2-acre farm has become a model farm for a growing niche of dragon fruit farmers in the country.
The agricultural researcher and horticulture specialist notes that the “super fruit” has great potential for growth in Kenya because it adapts very well to the local climate and soils. “The fruit is highly nutritious yet the least grown among fruits in the country, nearly 99 percent of dragon fruit in the county is imported from either Vietnam, Israel or South Africa,” Waiganjo told Xinhua in a recent interview, adding that it is also one of the most expensive fruits on the market.
Waiganjo, who worked with Kenya Agricultural Livestock Research Organization before retirement, began growing dragon fruit in 2021 to count as a point of reference for farmers and satisfy her curiosity. Before beginning, she visited a few farms to understand the nature and characteristics of the climate-smart crop. In Kenya, the climbing cactus is grown by a pocket of small-holder farmers in the lower eastern region, coastal region and some parts of the northeastern.
According to Waiganjo, the fruit promotes a healthy gut, fights chronic diseases such as hypertension, strengthens the immune system and is low in calories. It can also be made into a range of industrial products such as jams, syrups and flavorings.
Waganjo estimates the number of Kenyan farmers cultivating the fruit to be 100 or below. She said upon making her first harvest last month, her orchard produced 30 kilograms of the fruit, adding that if more farmers plant the fruit, the domestic price will go down, and the consumer market will expand.
Philip Waruinge, an experienced avocado farmer, registered his excitement over the fruit, noting he was looking forward to a bumper harvest. Waruige visited Waiganjo’s farm last year and immediately set out to cultivate his orchard after getting cuttings (planting materials) from Waiganjo’s propagating nursery. The dragon fruit has been allocated 1 acre on his 13-acre farm.
Between 2020 and 2025, the global dragon fruit market was projected to grow at 3.7 percent per annum, with robust demand from China and the United States, according to the International Tropical Fruits Network.
Vietnam is the biggest producer and exporter of dragon fruit in addition to Thailand and Sri Lanka. Asia remains the largest consumer of dragon fruit. “The fruit has great potential. I’m looking for a bumper harvest and make some money out of it,” Waiganjo said.