Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town.
A Malaysia-based firm is reported to have acquired a license to expand stevia cultivation in, giving more farmers an opportunity to trade with the European Union market.
Stevia is a sweetening plant and its introduction into Kenya market as one of the cash crops with agro-based industry would definitely spell doom for the sugar industry. It is used as a sweetens in place of sugar, especially in the cases of patients suffering from acute diabetes.
The National Environment Management Authority {NEMA} and the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate {Kephis} have allowed Pure Circle to expand its reach to Narok, Laikipia, Meru, Bungoma and Uasin Gishu Counties.
This news comes in the wake of the revelation that one of the multinational companies operating Kericho County has been carrying out the experiment of stevia cultivation large and commercial scale in areas lie Fort-Tennan, Koru, and Muhoroni for a couple of years and that it is only a matter of time before the breakthrough is made public.
‘After success in growing stevia through numerous small scale and a few commercial farmers in Kericho, Bureti and Bomet. The company is reportedly looking for commercial farmers, agents, companies or investors to partner with in this expansion program, ”Pure Circle Kenya said in a notice recently posted to media houses
The firm’s expansion comes a year after the EU the use of stevia as natural sweetener. Agriculture in Kenya were recently quoted as saying that a crop cleared by regulators may be planted anywhere according to the specifications of the license since the country is not zoned for particular economic activities.
“We have lately thought of regulating introduction of emerging crops, but the policy we have is still in draft form.’ The crops director in the Ministry o Agriculture Johnson Runngu was quoted as having said this.’
Irungu told the Business Daily a publication of the Nation Media Group of newspapers that local farmers have tried with the limited successes to venture into stevia production for export to the US where multinational soft drinks like Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola have for five years used the herb to appeal to health conscious consumers in the West.
A number of consumers in the West have increasingly turned to stevia a natural alternative to sugar, to manage conditions such as diabetes and obesity.
In Kenya, the commercial cultivation of the crop began in 2008 when the Malysia-based firm set u p local subsidiary to take advantage of market opening in the US. Kenya earned USD 50 million from stevia last year.
The new license is expected to spark off competition in land use. The Counties where is set to be introduced are already known for tea, coffee ,sugar cane, tobacco, wheat, barley and maize and dairy farming.
“We are not cuttings and training advising farmers to uproot other crops to plant stevia, but only unused part of their farms, which should not exceed one third of the total farm size ‘ the Pure Circle general manage in Kenya Piryanko Chatterjee..
‘The firm has been providing the new recruits with stevia cuttings and training campaign that has since yield more than 300 farmers-owned nurseries locally. The company has also signed an Kshs 84 million financing deal with two micro-financiers where some 2,200 farmers two year payback, low interest rates and a guarantee that deductions do not exceed 30 per cent of gross revenue.
Under the previous arrangement with the Agricultural Finance Corporation{AFC}to boost the commercial production of the crop, a farmer with half an acre or more was advance Kshs 25,000 for buying fertilizer or dying tables.
Coordinator at the NETWORK for the Ecofarming in Africa [ NECOFA} a community-based organization working 300 stevia farmers in the Rift Valley 4xplains that an acre yields three tones of leaves per year.
With the local price of Khs 100 per kilogram,a farmer gross annual revenue is Kshs 300,000 out of which Kshs.60.000 covers the cost of used and applied farm input.
Ends
Please look at this plant as a product to help diabetes who cannot use sugar produced by the big sugar companies in Kenya. Please remember we are about a million.
I am ipmresser by this plan how can I get seedlings? I am in Nairobi
I am planning to start cultivating stevia in the slopes of mt kenya.Specifically in Naari area in meru district.Where can I get the cutting for planting?The soils of that place are black loam somehow sandy with the required pH.kindly inform.
how can i get it for growing here in my country?
We have stevia cuttings…..please email us at jmulupi@yahoo.com
I was introduced sometimes back to a field agent of a Steiva growing firm. By then they were looking for permission to start the crop in Uasin Gishu. i lost their contacts, but I am still interested in growing the plant. pse, contact me through the aabove e-mail adress.
Would like to start stevia farming in Eldoret pliz advice if the climate is favourable and how to do it
We are Kenya Small Scale Farmers Forum and wish to grow | Stevia Please email us the details of where to obtain seeds from
Iam in interested in the cultivation of the plant how do i go about it? Pleaseadvise
I’d like to grow the plant. I’ve land in Kajiado, Kilgoris (Narok) and Eldoret. Which of these places is conducive fro growing stevia plant?
Please get in touch with me.
Regards
Mary
Some farmers in Nyahururu would like to get into stevia farming-anybody out there who can organize for them.
I come from Muranga county, please advise me if the weather in Muranga county is favourable to grow stevia. Am interested to venture in stevia farming.
I look forward to read from you soon.
Regards,
George
I live in Butere. Is the weather conducive for stevia farming. What about the soil. I previously (7 years ago) had sugarcane on this farm.
I live in Molo and wish to be a stevia crop grower,advice me where to get the seedlings,and how to be your company supplier. thank you.
I live in tigoni, limuru. I have 4 acres unused. Can stevia do well in limuru? Kindly advice.
I have a few acres of land in meru and would like to venture in farming stevia,sounds like a good investment n i love farming
how can i get some seedlings or stem cuttings
I am diabetic and I have read about stevia as a substitute for sugar . May I know I can get it in Kenya and Rwanda?
I would like to get information on full circle:on seedling supply,cultivation procedures,where in Kenya NEMA has approved the crop for cultivation.I have acess to more than 10 acres of land in Kakamega county which has a viable climate according to the above piece.Great information by the way.
stevia is amazing cash crop.sensitization should be increased to reach many farmers as far as keiyo and maraket
long time i ever heard about this plant in tigoni now i m having a big interest of cultivating. kindly advice me what to do and where to get stevia plants. Serious farmer. urgently in need. thanks
an interesting substitute for sugar. i would be interested in growing it in kikuyu area. please advise.
Very interesting. am a Stevia consumer and i love it. This will go very far in a few years to come. Especially in EU and USA
i have been searching for stevia seeds or seedlings please assist me on how to get i`m in Eldoret.Thanks.
Please send me the contact person in Baringo. I am in Kiambu country, and can use upto 2 acres of my unutilised land. Please advice.
I am interested in growing it. please contact me
Great article,please how can i get more information especially about its propagation and management.
please assist me on how to get the stevia seeds, I have land in Naivasha and am interested in growing it.
regards
Kagonia
hello,am a young Entrepreneur who seek financial support for a Fantastic project for Stevia!Trust me you can make millions and millions of Dollars with this Plant. I have a finished business plan to launch a stevia industry! Any serious person who would like to buy the project that needs 2.000.0000 Euros please contact me by email jeanfuso@gmail.com
I would like to grow Stevia in Embu . Kindly advice lisanjoks@gmail.com
Iwould like to know whether stevia can do well in Limuru,where can I get the
seed to plant too?
Hi,
Am a farmer and stationed in Bungoma. How can I join this wonderful venture of growing Stevia. Kindly provide contacts.
Thank you.
Being a farmer in western Kenya i have gone thro’ your article on the product i have an interest in planting the said plant.
1:Can you advice if i can plat in Vihiga count as already people in the region are currently planting tea.
2:Can one plant at Matunda.
3:What are the required conditions to venture in the program.
Lastly please provide contacts ie email address
KENNEDY ANANDA
Where could Iget the seedling to plant in Limuru? How much do they cost?
Please I need your direct contact so that Ican get the feed back.
am interested in planting stevia.how/where can i get seedlings.is bungoma county climatic condition favourable for the plant?
I come from muranga county on the slopes of Aberdares Mountains where tea is grown as cash crop-WOULD LIKE TO GROW STEVIA PLANT-Where can I get the seedlings
Am the field technician of stevia in uasin gishu county please contact me for more information.0707970088
Hello,
I am interested a lot in the Stevia plant.
This is how I contact you to know how it can be possible to me to order and to receive the seeds or young plants.
Thank you very much!
Mr Jacques K.
i have seedlings in meru county you can contact with this number 0722127760