Horticulture farmers reap big from export crops after forming co-operatives

Small-scale horticulture farmers in Nyandarua County have embraced co-operative societies, which are offering them good returns from crops they previously did not cultivate for lack of market.

The societies have for decades been operating as self-help groups and merry-go-rounds of between 10 and 15 members.

The groups came together to form various cooperative societies, which they are now using to secure export markets via contract farming.

The farmers are growing snow peas, sugar snap peas, garden peas and potatoes as guided by the buyers.

“Co-operative movements have made it easier for the growers to access funding from financial institutions that find it easier to deal with groups than individual small-scale farmers,” said county Trade executive Muthoni Wamuiya.

“Our ultimate desire is to have every farmer belong to a co-operative society. It is impossible to address individual farmer’s needs and market challenges, but very easy under the co-operative movements,” said Wamuiya.

She added 30 farmer self-help groups have converted to co-operative societies and her department is in the process of assisting and facilitating registration of others.

Sofia Nduta, a farmer from Mutamaiyu village in Kinangop constituency, said she now sells her potatoes at between Sh35 and Sh58 per kilo, while her neighbours sell 150kg bag at between Sh600 and Sh2,500 depending on demand.

She is a member of Mwendi Kurima Cooperative Society that started in 2002 as a farmer self-help group. It then registered as a co-operative society last year.

The society’s chairman David Muriithi said they now have 350 members, who grow carrots, cabbages, sugar snap peas and garden peas for export.

ACCESS EXPORT MARKET

Currently, the members have contracts with four exporters, namely Sereni which buys Dutch Robin and Makis potato varieties at Sh35 per kilo. Flamingo buys sugar snap peas and garden peas, while Taimba shangi potatoes while Twiga exporters cabbages.

Nduta, who has been a farmer since 2008, said she grows potatoes on contract, a lucrative business that has enabled her but her own quarter-acre at Sh300,000.

At Geta village in Kipipiri constituency, Julia Waweru, who belongs to 120-member Aberdare Fresh Produce Cooperative Society, said joining the movement has helped the farmers increase their production with access to funding for their activities.

“The society was started in 2014 to bring together farmers to access export market. We are contracted by Jade Fresh Limited to grow sugar snap peas, snow peas and garden peas for export,” said Waweru.

The society’s chairman John Maina said four self-help groups came together to form the outfit.

“It is now easier for us to get support from the county government through agribusiness training, agronomy services, access to funding and subsidised fertiliser,” said Maina.

With support from the county government, the society has increased production from 100 tonnes a week to 300 in about a year.

He said with contract farming, a grower is sure of the market, with quality and quantity to produce.

The buyer is offering Sh100 for a kilo of garden peas and Sh130 for sugar snap and snow peas. But the farmers said they lack cold storage facilities, a project that the county government is willing to construct in Ol Kalou town with other partners.

In May, governor Francis Kimemia signed a deal worth Sh1 billion for the construction of a packhouse. The deal was between the county, Germany investor Badische Anilin-und Soda-Fabrik (BASF) and the Kenya Investment Authority.