Moses Gitau is a Basil farmer based in Nakuru County who currently runs six greenhouses under basil production.
He discovered the herb, usually used in salads, through regular visits to farms that plant different crops in various parts of the country. He was attracted to Basil because he realized the crop did not require a lot of labor.
In an interview with Imagine Business, Gitau revealed he stepped into the business in 2020 and currently runs six greenhouses.
He harvests his produce once a week and gets between 200-250 kg from a particular greenhouse.
He sells a kilo at between Sh600-Sh650, earning Sh120,000 to Sh162,500, translating to between Sh480,000 and Sh650,000 monthly.
Gitau noted that Basil farming is more profitable than maize farming. Through the venture, he educated his children, bought plots of land, and built a house.
“The assets I buy out of my profits are for security in case something happens to my greenhouses. I can pick myself up again,” he said.
He revealed each greenhouse cost him around Sh. 200,000 to Sh. 210,000 to construct, depending on the material used.
“I have used different materials on my greenhouses to try to save on cost. You must be creative because one roll of paper material used on greenhouses costs up to Sh. 30,000,” said Gitau
He prefers growing the herb in a greenhouse as it is easier to regulate the climatic condition as well as control pests and diseases that are usually difficult to deal with in an open field.
“There are pests and harsh climatic conditions outside. No pests can enter here, and even if they do, we have pesticides to deal with that,” Gitau said.
He further noted that Basil performs well in a greenhouse than in an open field. To ensure constant production of the herb, he regularly waters the crop whenever he detects a sign of dryness.
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He, however, said that farmers need to be observant when watering the crop, as too much water makes Basil produce yellowish leaves instead of dark green, making it hard to find a market for the produce.
One of the biggest challenge he encountered is getting a market for his produce. The market for the basil herb is majorly external.
Gitau exports his produce through a broker as he does not have the capacity to acquire an international export license.