Growing pumpkins in Kenya can either be done for personal consumption or for commercial gain. When farmers grow pumpkins, they get both fruits and vegetables. As a source of vitamin A, calcium, potassium, and other minerals essential to good health, pumpkin is a popular food among children.. Are you wondering whether pumpkins are marketable? This blog post explores whether or not pumpkins have a market in Kenya.
Yes. Pumpkins are marketable in Kenya for a variety of reasons, including their high demand in Kenya’s domestic and international markets. Pumpkin farming is a lucrative venture. For example, one kilo of pumpkin is sold for between Kshs 50 and Kshs 80. Also, a full-grown pumpkin costs between Kshs 200 and Kshs 500, depending on its size and type.
4 Companies Buying Pumpkins in Kenya
Some companies buy pumpkins from farmers in Kenya. The following are four companies:
1. Marenge Tamu Products Enterprise
It is a company that buys pumpkins and grinds them to make porridge flour and other products.
It is based in Kigetu-ini, Gaturi ward, Murang’a County, where they have pumpkin flour processing factory.
They give training to farmers and business people, and each pumpkin seed they sell costs 1 Shilling.
Up to 10,000 Shillings worth of seeds can fit on an acre, and each seed can grow up to 20 pumpkins with the right care.
2. Opica Farm in Nyeri
It buys pumpkin fruits from farmers at Kshs 180 per kilo.
Additionally, they sell seeds for the propagation of the pumpkin.
Opica Farm gives pumpkin fruits of from 30kg to more than 80 kilos.
3. Naramat Kenya Limited from Kajiado
This is a company that buys giant Egyptian pumpkins from farmers.
They are located in Kajiado Kenya.
4. Aberdare Aglomere Limited
It is a company in Nyandarua that comes as a result of a partnership that buys and picks quality pumpkins from farmers and then grinds and sells powdered pumpkin.
You can make meals and snacks more healthier, sumptuous and colourful by adding whole pumpkin powder. It can also be used in baking.
Pumpkin Millers in Kenya
These are four pumpkin millers situated in Kenya:
1. Pioneer Horticulture Self-Help Group
It is located in Murang’a. It consists of a group of farmers from Kandara subcounty. They mill the pumpkin into flour and sell it at local markets and supermarket stores.
They buy the raw pumpkins directly from the farmers.
2. Shibah Miller Limited in Nakuru
It is an agricultural company that refines maize flour with the addition of pumpkin and pumpkin seeds for added nutrition.
3. Icobi Company Limited
It prepares pumpkin chips for making food flavor and flour in Imenti Central. You can sell your companies for good prices.
4. Marenge Tamu Enterprise.
It is an enterprise that mills and grinds pumpkin fruits to form porridge flour.
Pumpkins have a ready market in Kenya. They can be sold in local markets, groceries, and supermarkets and supplied to institutions such as hotels and fresh produce export companies.
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