The most widely grown and consumed fruit in Kenya is watermelon. It’s easy to get a watermelon farm up and running, and once the plants are established, you can expect to reap plentiful rewards. Is it profitable, though? This article describes how profitable watermelon growing is in Kenya.
Yes, watermelon farming is a highly profitable business. This is due to the fruit’s high demand, particularly during the hot weather. In addition, the returns are substantial, making it a lucrative investment.
These are five reasons why watermelon farming is profitable in Kenya:
1. High Demand
Watermelon fruit is always in high demand, especially when it’s hot. This makes it a good fruit to grow in Kenya.
2. Ready Market
Because they are naturally sweet and have a lot of good nutrients, watermelons can be sold in every part of the country. This makes them very profitable. There are a lot of people who can’t make it through the day without eating some watermelon. Additionally, the fruit offers several advantages to children either as a whole are can be used to make juice.
3. High Returns
Since watermelons are so expensive, they bring in a lot of money in a short amount of time. This is called a high return on investment.
4. Simple to Grow
It is not difficult to cultivate watermelons because, once they sprout, the plants require very little care and attention. Because watermelon seeds are so readily available in the marketplace, virtually everyone can try their hand at growing their own.
In addition, you just need a small plot of land to get started in the watermelon farming business. Think about producing watermelon so you can take advantage of all the wonderful benefits it provides.
5. Little Capital
To start growing watermelons, farmers only need a small amount of money up front because the seeds are cheap and have a track record of producing very high yields, making them profitable.
6. Faster Maturity
Watermelons mature faster and are ready for the market in no time.
How Profitable is Watermelon Farming in Kenya?
It is profitable because, depending on the breed, an acre of land produces over 15000 fruits weighing 8 to 12 kg. If you produce, for instance, 13000 watermelons during the first harvest, you can earn Kshs 1300000 if you sell each at Kshs 100. Also, you can sell to neighboring countries such as Uganda for between Kshs 200 and Kshs 300 per fruit, which is quite a profit. Even more, watermelons can be harvested twice a year.
Watermelon farming in Kenya returns a profit of about 10 times the initial investment. With an average of 30 tons per acre and a kilo selling for Kshs 10, the return is Kshs 400,000; therefore, watermelon farming is profitable.
Also, depending on the variety and good management, one can produce 20 to 35 metric tons of watermelons on an acre of land. As a result, you can make a lot of money because one kilo is sold for Kshs 100 when demand is high and between Kshs 30 and Kshs 50 when demand is low.
