Onion Farming in Kenya is coupled with good returns on income investment when land is maximized, and the right seed variety is grown. Profitable Onion Farming Venture needs is a major niche in the field of agribusiness with less risks compared to other crops.
What is the main Consideration in Onion Farming?
The main key consideration for success in onion farming is the plant population, or spacing which affects nutrient and water access. Using the right fertilizer or nutrient feeding and irrigation program is the solution for a manageable onion population.
What are the Requirements for Profitable Onion Farming in Kenya?
Climatic Conditions / Requirements
- Water – Onions require adequate though varying needs of water depending on the growth phase. For example, bulb development phase requires high water rates.
- Soil/ Land Requirement – Proper Soil for onion farming is a well-drained type with a PH of 5.8 to 6.8.
- Temperature – ideal temperature ranges from 13- 35 degrees Celsius. Needs an open field to achieve enough sunlight.
Other Requirements
Hybrid Seeds – can be propagated or bought from Onion seed vendors in Kenya. A variety of hybrid onion species exist that perform well in the Kenyan climate.
Manure – You may require organic manure to improve soil fertility on farms with degraded soil fertility. Manure also neutralizes the PH in highly salty soils.
Agronomical Support – It is hard for beginner farmers to administer adequate water, fertilizer, and the right feeding programs alone. You need an agronomist to advise on what fertilizer, irrigation method, water levels, and required times. Agronomists are essential to monitor and recommend pests, diseases, and pesticides or control methods on an early basis.
Capital – Profitable Onion farming venture incurs numerous costs, besides seedlings and irrigation methods.
Which Onion Varieties are Ideal for the Kenyan Climate?
Several onion varieties do exist with varying yield quantities and duration for harvest as per the propagation methods.
Key competitive varieties in Kenya with a high record of income returns include.
- Neptune
- Africa Red
- Red Wave
- Rosette
- Malbec F1
- SV
Onion Farming: Which Irrigation methods to use?
The common effective way to provide water to your onion plants is drip irrigation. Entirely creates a balance in water and nutrients fed to each plant.
Other irrigation methods can be used but are not very effective;
- Canal irrigation – Water supplied to the field through ditches.
- Sprinkler Irrigation – Uses much water and may lead to high fungal infection rates.
- Planting in a Rainy Season – the natural way of crop farming, not reliable due to changing weather patterns in most parts of the country.
Why Sprinkler irrigation is not Ideal for a Profitable Onion Farming Venture
With the use of a sprinkler or overhead irrigation technique, water flows above the onion plants resulting in leaf blots, rusts, and mildew diseases. It costs much to deal with such fungal infections as pesticides are costly and for the frequent needs of preventing cold related diseases.
What Spacing is recommended for Onions?
Onions should be spaced approximately 15 -20 cm apart on a planting line depending on the dripline laid on the irrigation line.
What are the Approximate Onion Seed requirement and Returns per acre?
The actual seedlings needed depends on the spacing and number of beds per acre. On average, about 125,000 seedlings are enough to plant an acre of land. The yield for such number could range from 15 – 18 tonnes on a good harvest.
Propagation Methods for a Profitable Onion Farming Venture
There are different ways to plant or propagate;
- Drip Irrigation model – Onions plants planted with the spacing to conform to the spacing of dripline emitter holes.
- Sunken Beds – Beds or rectangular spaces below the ground surface. Provides a warm and moist soil for onion plants to grow.
- Raised Beds – Beds raised on beds 15-30 cm for proper flood control and drip method applied.
Profitable Onion Farming in Kenya; Steps and Actual Growing Procedure
- A profitable Onion farming venture begins with a determination of the ideal land for propagation.
- The next step is to test whether the soil whether suitable or not. Contact an agronomist to test and recommend the proper fertilizer or manure to use.
- Prepare the water source and proceed to acquire and install an irrigation system.
- Land and bed preparation follows next with a proper plan on the bed sizes that may suit the target farm size you can manage.
- Prepare nursery beds, normal beds are 1 M apart and Raised on a height of 15 cm.
Profitable Onion Farming Venture: Get Irrigation Systems and Support from Aqua Hub
We are the ideal supplier of drip irrigation kits and accessories for a Profitable Onion farming Venture in Kenya. We have partnered with agronomists and hybrid seed vendors.
Our Support includes.
- Nursery Propagation
- Installation of Irrigation Kits
- Provide Research and recommendation on seedlings and Onion markets.
Call 0790719020
