How to reap big from your harvest

The sweet deal for farmers is not when they have that bumper harvest. It is when the money is in the pocket and buyers pay for value.

Today Seeds of Gold brings you the qualities grocery giants look for in a produce and why some farmers reap big from their sweat while others keep bemoaning the “lack of market”.

Harun Onchuri, a supplier of tomatoes, onions and capsicum to supermarkets and several grocery stores in Nairobi, says farmers targeting supermarkets or the major grocery stores must understand that there are basic standards to be adhered to before produce is accepted.

Onchuri, who grows his crops on an a quarter-acre farm in Athi River, says large supermarket chains and grocery stores want an assurance on quality, traceability, good farm practices and a steady supply.

“I realised that for me to buy their trust and meet their produce guidelines, I had to consult experts on seeds, who advised me on the various varieties that will give me high quality yields that meet my buyer’s specifications. That’s the first step in getting a good yield,” he says.

Fresh and Juici Ltd is a local grocery company that supplies fresh juice and vegetables in all Nakumatt Supermarkets across the country. According to Andrew Matimu from the firm’s Business Development Department, farmers who want to see their produce on Nakumatt shelves must be very careful about post-harvest handling.

“Unfortunately, most farmers do not have good packaging and appropriate transport. They pack their groceries in sacks and they end up being bruised and withered. We do not accept such groceries,” says Matimu.

Farmers are advised to invest in plastic crates to safeguard the freshness and physical appeal of their crops and store them appropriately prior to being transported to the buyers.

“We only take what is fresh and appealing. Sometimes farmers lose money because they do not package their crops appropriately, especially after spending so much in transportation costs,” says Matimu.

Besides packaging and physical appearance, the quality of the crop also determines if your harvest will make it to the shelves.

Farmers are advised to not only use high quality seeds, but also to carefully tend their plants all the way to harvest time.

“In the case of tomatoes, for instance, you should prune your plant to have two or three branches to get the right size of fruits. When you leave more branches, you might end up getting small fruits which might not sell due to their size,” says Onchuri.

Farmers are also advised to maintain a good leaf to fruit ratio, enough to allow healthy food-making for the plant, without creating a situation where leaves and fruits are competing for nutrients.

Matimu says the big buyers have experts who test the quality of the produce to check for diseases and ensure that it is within the required standards.

“We are also very keen on traceability. We don’t want to supply groceries that were planted in contaminated conditions like sewer lines. It all boils down to the seed you buy, the quality of soil, the environment and how you tend the crop,” says Matimu.

WHERE THE MONEY IS

Farmers must also be smart about what crop they plant and must observe the market trends in order to plant what is in season and achieve maximum profits.

“Whenever I am asked what to grow, I always advise that you look around to see what is not grown in your area. That is what you should go for; that is where the money is,” says Mr Gilad Milo, the head of Business Development at Amiran Kenya, one of the leading agri-service providers in Africa.

Time in business, it seems, is everything.

“Do your homework. Know what is in season. Don’t plant a crop because a fellow farmer planted it and reaped good profits. Plant in tandem with what is on high demand,” Matimu advises.

Supermarkets such as Uchumi, Tuskys and Naivas have dedicated grocery departments that purchase the vegetables then have them distributed to the branches within Nairobi. For the branches outside the city, they have contracted farmers and suppliers who still have to adhere to the stringent quality controls.

Most products stocked include apples, bananas, sukuma wiki, tomatoes, onions, capsicums, carrots, potatoes, cabbages, and broccoli.

Most supermarkets and grocery stores have strict safety and quality standards for foodstuffs with some of the produce being labelled with producer identification for purposes of traceability. So how can farmers get their crops on the shelves?

“If you have your produce in the farm we always like to see what you have grown. Bring us a sample. Bring a few avocados; a piece of melon or a few bunches of spinach. We want to see if it is within our range of quality and what price you will be selling at,” says Matimu.

After selection, Fresh and Juici pays its farmers within a maximum of 14 days, directly to their bank accounts as they no longer pay in cash.

“This helps many farmers to be in good terms with their banks. This way, they are able to access loans to take their businesses to the next level,” says Matimu.