Facts about spring onion farming in Kenya including finding seeds markets, how to grow and care for onions, selling price, markets, and profitability of spring onions among others.
Spring onions is sometimes referred to as green onions, salad onions, scallions and bunching onions. These onions can be farm either in a small-scale production or in large-scale agriculture.
More interesting about the onions is that you do not need too much technical knowledge and anyone can start spring onion farming irrespective of your education levels as long as you have mastered the needed skills.
Some of the common uses of spring onions is:
- Making salad
- Food seasoning
Health Benefits Of Spring Onions
- They are detoxifiers
- They improved blood circulation in the body
- They are a local remedy for the common cold
- They cause gastrointestinal imbalances
- They use to regulate blood sugar levels
- They enhance the digestion of food.
Requirements To Start Spring Onion Farming
Spring onion farming for beginners guide from scratch entails you doing a number of analysis before getting started. You have to ensure there is:
1. Availability of Farmland
Beginner farmers should ensure that there is suitable farming area for the spring onions. The onions do not do well in waterlogged areas are lest they die off.
Besides, small scale farmers may not really need a large piece of land since the spring onions can be grown in a sack, buckets or any other suitable place that can hold soil.
2. Select Seed Distributor
Farmers can find the seed onion distributor to get the best healthy seeds. Usually farmers are cautioned from anyhow purchase of seeds as some may have low production.
3. Select Farm Equipment
The farmers should find out the kind of farm equipment to use in the cultivation process. Farmers are to weigh the prices and point of purchase.
4. Knowledge
Among the many tangible requirements of the framing system, farmers must gather as much information as they can concerning spring onion farming. Prospective farmers can visit other productive farms in the same areas and attend seminars and additional training.
How To Grow Spring Onions
If you are looking for how to start spring onion farming then you are in the right place. Spring onion farming start with:
Preparing Nurseries For The Spring Onions.
- The seedbed should not be less than a meter wide
- The soil should be well mixed with at least 15 kg of manure per square meter.
- The farmer can then phosphate fertilizer can be mixed thoroughly at 20 grams per square meter.
- The onions are planted in furrows that are up to 3cm deep and 15cm apart.
- The seeds need to be irrigated on a well-mulched seedbed to avoid being swept away.
Germination
- Spring Onion Farming Growth Rate is fast and takes approximately 10 days to germinate.
- The mulch is removed and made to act as shade above the bed.
Transplant
- The seedlings are transplanted within 3- 5 weeks after germination with the leaves at a height of about 15 cm.
- The farmer should ensure the Ph of the soil ranges between 6.3 and 6.8, a week before trans plant and reduce the shade the enhance survival.
- To avoid high temperature effects, the seedling should be trans planted before sunrise or after sunset.
- The seedlings are planted in rows spaced at 30 cm apart.
- Each seedling should be spaced at 8 cm apart.
Top Dressing
- CAN fertilizer can be top dressed after 4 weeks of trans plant at 9kgs per acre.
Pest And Diseases Control
- The seedlings are prone to attack by pests and diseases.
- Insecticides, pesticides and fungicides are used to eliminate any traces of infection within the first 6 weeks.
Harvesting
- Spring onions can be harvested between 2 to 3 months after sowing.
- The farmers can use a fork jembe during harvesting.
- Mature spring onions appear succulent, green and tall.
Price Of Spring Onions
Small scale farmers can choose to sell per kilo. Spring onion price per kg in Kenya can be approximate, Ksh. 15 during low seasons and Ksh. 30. Some consumers without good storage can get even smaller quantities.
The price of spring onions in Kenya in the urban markets for 145 Kg of the onions is approximately Ksh. 2200.
The spring onion price can be lower if bought directly from the point of production.
Farmers can choose to sell to large scale distributors if the farming system is based on large scale farming to avoid losses due to spoilage. Likewise, small-scale farmers can sell directly to consumers in smaller quantities at affordable and profitable prices.
Farmers with the passion for growing into the farming practice for commercial purposes can start up the business with less effort since there are not too many requirements. The cost of production is relative to the size of land. The larger the farmer, the higher the cost of production.
Bulk Spring Onion Seeds Markets
Farmers can be directed where to buy soring onions seeds in Kenya based on their affordability. Price of spring onion seeds in Kenya with the depending on the location of the distributor. Some of the distributors of the spring onion seeds have been listed in the table below.
| Name of distributors | Contact | Physical Address |
| Elgon Kenya Ltd | Phone: 0110 094464 | Behind Lab & Allied, National Park East Gate Road, Off Mombasa Road |
| ATF Greens Ltd | Phone: 0738 514552 | Ridge Court, A6, Third Parklands Ave, Nairobi |
| Simlaw Seeds | Phone: 0722 200545 | SIMLAW HOUSE, Kijabe St, Nairobi City |
| Mkulima Young | Phone: 0710 848002 | Thika Superhighway Mountain Mall, Nairobi |
| Continental Seeds Company Limited | Phone: 0707 089014 | Room 35, 1st floor Vision Plaza Mombasa Road Nairobi KE |
| Starke Ayres Kenya-Nairobi | Phone: 020 6659960 | Mombasa Road, Nairobi |
| Kalimoni Greens | Phone: 0708 278273 | Ngong Rd, Nairobi |
| M Farm Limited | Phone: 0732 622555 | Bishop Magua Building, Shop UG 3, Ground Floor, Bishop Magua Centre, Ngong Rd, Nairobi |
| East African Seed Co. Ltd. | Phone: 020 6652101 | Dakar Rd, Nairobi |
| Farmers Market Kenya | Phone: 0735 107169 | Donholm Grace Apartments, Nairobi |
| The Kenya Wheat Grass Farm | Phone: 020 2527444 | Room No. 5, Caxton House, Second Floor, Koinange Street junction, Kenyatta Ave |
| Royal Seed Africa | Phone: 0725 549997 | Transview Estate, off Nairobi – Namanga, Athi River, Nairobi |
| County growers | Phone: 0711 294311 | Kenya Railways HQ’s, RAHOSO Building, Opposite Kenya Polytechnic University College, Main Gate, Nairobi, Haile Selassie Ave, Nairobi City |
| Greenspoon | Phone: 0727 444777 | 60 Ndovu Rd, Nairobi City |
| Black Seed Oil in Kenya (The Potent Seed) | Phone: 0773 130982 | madina mall, eastleigh, Nairobi |
| Chandarana Foodplus Supermarket (Lavington Branch) | Phone: 0717 528239 | Lavington Mall, James Gichuru Road, Nairobi |
| Zucchini Green Grocers Limited | Phone: 0702 372199 | Abc Place Nairobi ABC Place, Waiyaki Way Nairobi KE |
Conclusion
Spring onion farming in Kenya is a lucrative business networking on a significant consumption rate from all over the country. The usefulness of the spring onion has naturally created the market for itself. Most small scale farmers have made use of their kitchen gardens to plant the variety as an income-generating activity.
