Meet Kenyan Minting Millions From Apple Farming

mzeiya

Elder Lister
Last year, I encountered this video;

I honestly thought I had shared it with this kijiji but now I have come across the following article which is better for those that prefer reading to watching.
______________________
1664424743092.png

Kate Wambugu, the owner of Wambugu Apple farm in Laikipia on September 22, 2022

Kate Wambugu of the Wambugu Apples’ Farm in Laikipia County is making a fortune from an apple variety she christened Wambugu Apple.
Speaking to Business Hour KE, a YouTube channel, on Thursday, September 22, Wambugu disclosed that she ventured into apple farming after seeing his father succeed in agriculture.

Her father ventured into apple farming in 1985 and 45 years later, her daughter is following in her footsteps. Other than naming the apple after her father, Mr Wambugu, she also named her farm after him.

“This is the 45th year we are farming, My father was the founder of the Wambugu Apple, he started in 1985, and it was named after him,” Kate Wambugu
An undated image showing apples

An undated image showing harvested apples

“We've seen our dad making money. Whatever you do is more about the end product. Whether the job leaves you clean or dirty, what matters is what you are getting out of the hustle,” Kate stated.

Currently, Kenya imports a huge percentage of apples from South Africa, Egypt and the Middle East.
Wambugu, however, is optimistic that the country will soon have its own local apples as farmers in Kenya are exploiting alternative ways to grow the products.
According to Wambugu, apple farming is one of the most lucrative ventures that need less orientation. One needs land, water and manure only to feed the tree.
Seedlings are also easily accessible in the market. Apple farming, she added, is not labour intensive as many farmers perceive.

"Once you plant the seedlings, it takes nine months only for the trees to start producing fruits," Wambugu explained.
"One acre can accommodate 600 seedlings. However, you can start with a few seedlings. One tree can also produce close to 200 fruits at the bare minimum per harvest," she added.

Wambugu further underlined that the good thing with apple trees is that you can harvest them for 100 years.

An acre of apple farm can fetch her Ksh10 million after harvest. A farmer can also make three harvests in a year, depending on the plantation season.
Success in apple farming is, nonetheless, attributed to feeding the plants with enough manure.
Currently, local farmers sell their products in Karen with some exporting them to the United Kingdom (UK). Apples are, however, analysed by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and other relevant agencies to ascertain whether they meet the quality standards prior to being sold or exported.
An undated image of an Apple tree

An undated image of an Apple tree
 

upepo

Elder Lister
Last year, I encountered this video;

I honestly thought I had shared it with this kijiji but now I have come across the following article which is better for those that prefer reading to watching.
______________________
View attachment 78011
Kate Wambugu, the owner of Wambugu Apple farm in Laikipia on September 22, 2022

Kate Wambugu of the Wambugu Apples’ Farm in Laikipia County is making a fortune from an apple variety she christened Wambugu Apple.
Speaking to Business Hour KE, a YouTube channel, on Thursday, September 22, Wambugu disclosed that she ventured into apple farming after seeing his father succeed in agriculture.

Her father ventured into apple farming in 1985 and 45 years later, her daughter is following in her footsteps. Other than naming the apple after her father, Mr Wambugu, she also named her farm after him.

“This is the 45th year we are farming, My father was the founder of the Wambugu Apple, he started in 1985, and it was named after him,” Kate Wambugu
An undated image showing apples

An undated image showing harvested apples

“We've seen our dad making money. Whatever you do is more about the end product. Whether the job leaves you clean or dirty, what matters is what you are getting out of the hustle,” Kate stated.

Currently, Kenya imports a huge percentage of apples from South Africa, Egypt and the Middle East.
Wambugu, however, is optimistic that the country will soon have its own local apples as farmers in Kenya are exploiting alternative ways to grow the products.
According to Wambugu, apple farming is one of the most lucrative ventures that need less orientation. One needs land, water and manure only to feed the tree.
Seedlings are also easily accessible in the market. Apple farming, she added, is not labour intensive as many farmers perceive.

"Once you plant the seedlings, it takes nine months only for the trees to start producing fruits," Wambugu explained.
"One acre can accommodate 600 seedlings. However, you can start with a few seedlings. One tree can also produce close to 200 fruits at the bare minimum per harvest," she added.

Wambugu further underlined that the good thing with apple trees is that you can harvest them for 100 years.

An acre of apple farm can fetch her Ksh10 million after harvest. A farmer can also make three harvests in a year, depending on the plantation season.
Success in apple farming is, nonetheless, attributed to feeding the plants with enough manure.
Currently, local farmers sell their products in Karen with some exporting them to the United Kingdom (UK). Apples are, however, analysed by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and other relevant agencies to ascertain whether they meet the quality standards prior to being sold or exported.
An undated image of an Apple tree

An undated image of an Apple tree
Hizi articles zinakuanga disguised advertisements in most cases. Hii wambugu nimeisikia tangu nikiwa navaa kinyasa. Sasa magoti zimeisha na bado wanaitangaza.
 

mzeiya

Elder Lister
Hizi articles zinakuanga disguised advertisements in most cases. Hii wambugu nimeisikia tangu nikiwa navaa kinyasa. Sasa magoti zimeisha na bado wanaitangaza.
True that but they seem legit since they came up with a new variety altogether, no?
 

mzeiya

Elder Lister
Do you really think they could be doing it for 45 years if they were not making money?
BTW, even though his daughter is the face of the business, that man Wambugu deserves much of the credit. Went against the grain and brought forth something new. I can't seem to find the original video that I watched during lockdown but it shared his agricultural journey. But credit to Kate too for she is very good in sales & marketing.
 

upepo

Elder Lister
Do you really think they could be doing it for 45 years if they were not making money?
Of course. they are making some money. From my projections that many years ago, we should be a net exporter of apples by now, and the variety would have spread all over the region like wildfire. What I deduce so far is that, for some reason, it did not make inroads as predicted.
I almost bought in.
 

Aviator

Elder Lister
But you can still share some of what you discovered in your feasibility studies.
What I have found so far:
1) the apples are real. And fast maturing. And high producing with proper care.
2) To reap the maximum, do.organic farming. Kate Apples have a network of buyers with strict standards.
3) Follow the videos on guidelines for planting, tending, harvesting and storage. Kate Apples have done so many videos on the same. Also, watch what other farmers are doing.

I am currently preparing the land. Mid October I shall be planting the 100 seedlings.
I shall share more.
 

mzeiya

Elder Lister
nimewachia hapo kwa 45 years(since 1985), (cherera mathematics means this is story of giants to a large extent)
Good things take time.
Before Apple had become a household name after the release of the iPhone in 2007, it had been founded way back when Jomo was still our plezdent.
 

Afro

Elder Lister
I am of the opinion that if a business idea works very well for you, then the ins and outs of the business should be kept secret. Otherwise if you get the media to do a story about it, then everyone will rush into the idea and creating an over supply which will kill your business when the laws of demand and supply start play out. I think this is what happened with the quail business. Ilifika mahali tukaanza kupewa hio mayai for free
 

Ole masai

Lister
The challenge with wambugu apple is that for all those years of selling seedlings, no one else has successfully farmed them, leave alone making those outrageous figures being thrown around.
There is however a farmer in Meru and another one in Kericho who have successful commercial farms and would be the ideal source of genuine information.
Screenshot_20220929-180104.jpg
 
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