When Ruth Kamau made her maiden tour of the outskirts of Ngoliba town, one of the agricultural nerve centers of Kiambu County, her brilliant idea as she planned to venture into agribusiness was to plant onions.
She had never farmed anything before, her experience was in real estate. This was two years ago. But as Ms Kamau slowly drove back home through the bushy paths of Ngoliba that sunny evening, still weighing in on the decision to plant onions in such a dry place, she stopped to chat with a man who was holding a red chilli. “These do very well here. They make good money in town too,” the man told her.
It turned out that the unsought-for insight was all the 33-year-old needed to make a final decision. And looking back, this is the best decision she made. Apart from the sprawling pineapple fields owned by Del-Monte on the Thika-Garissa highway, off Thika town, Ms Kamau’s expansive chilli farm is one of the few most spectacular views dotting one of the driest areas of Kiambu.
Do your homework After four years in real estate, she had saved Sh4 million to lease 12 acres of land in Ngoliba town where land is leased at Sh10,000 an acre a year. She also bought enough mulching paper for her first crop of demon chillies, pipes and pumps and Goodman’s’ Fresh Farm was poised to roll. “With these, the chillies have all it takes to thrive under this climate,” she says, motioning dark reels of mulching paper neatly stuck on knolls of soil on the chillies planted in straight lines.
She explains that the mulching paper, imported from China, ensures that water is not lost through evaporation. Additionally, it minimises the need for a lot of weeding as the paper prevents growth of grass around the plants. “They look like plastic bags but they are not. In fact, we dispose them off on the farm because they decompose easily,” she says.
She points to the countless opportunities in agriculture which she says are available to those ready to roll up their sleeves. “The problem is that young people these days don’t like getting dirty,” she says. “Even then, you must strategise well. First find a sure market for your produce even before you start thinking of where to get land.”
She explains that as part of the extensive research she carried out about chillies, just before she embarked on farming, she sought to find out who would buy them. “Not every customer who comes forth is guaranteed to honour their end of the deal. You must therefore do your homework on them very well,” she advises.
Goodman’s Fresh Farm is full of activity on Fridays, the harvesting day where more than 50 men plunge into picking green and red chillies which have taken three months to mature. Each piece of work, including harvesting, all the way to exportation is done in a day. “That is why I bring on board many workers,” Ms Kamau says.
The harvested green chillies are transported to a packing house in Nairobi where they are packed in carton boxes, weighed, labelled and taken to the airport. “I export every bit of my crop to a market where I know I wouldn’t be exploited,” Ms Kamau says. She says though she exports tonnes of chilli to Germany every week, she is yet to meet her customers’ demand and is looking to expand her production on a 100-acre farm she wants to buy in Naivasha. To keep diseases at bay Ms Kamau says she sells a kilo of the demon chillies at Sh170. She enjoys juicier profits when she plants bullet chillies, a species she rotates on the land with the demon chillies.
In a good week, she says each acre of land gives her up to three tonnes of chillies, and she gets Sh170,000 from each tonne. “I see it as my side hustle, which I have become more passionate about than my regular job,” she says. The journey of Goodman’s Fresh Farm has however not been easy.
Kindly explain what quality of chillies produce qualifies for export? Whats the type of chillies does mkulima cultivate -name of seeds probably
thanks
Kindly send me Ms Kamau’s contact number. She can really help.
Pls can I get Ruth’s email address pls ,can these work in western Kenya and also let me know about the market
this is very encouraging, i also had the same question but mine would be in Siaya, i hope to get her email address too.
dear Benah, I am also planning to venture into organic chili production for export anywhere in Siaya or possibly Kisumu. My contact is [email protected]
Let me know if we can compare notes
Very encouraging!
Keep it up!
I would wish to visit your farm please and learn more about this enterprise.
How to get in touch with Ruth ? I’m from central Africa I would love to do the the same and get advices.
Enlightening piece howcan l get her contacts?
I would like to get in touch with Ms Kamau, how can I get her
such an encouraging story and also challenging
how can i reach this farmer?
Very inspiring indeed. Kindly send me her email address. I would really appreciate it
Can I have Ruth’s contact pliz am from thika too.
Hi, I would like to contact Ruth, please inbox me her email address.
thanks.
Inspiring information how can I get her contact?
Can I get Ruth’s contact please?
Those are lies for gullible people. Am a chilli farmer, and there’s no way you can get 3 tonnes of chilli per acre in a week! In any case, chilli export has been banned recently, unless you are farming under greenhouse. I have a farm in Maguguni near Ngoliba.
What could be the correct out put per acre per week Ndung’u??
need contacts plz
I’m very interested in chillies farming I need to learn more and ready to plant them.connect me to Ruth kamau.Thanks
Someone help me Ruth’s contacts
Hi I’m interested in chilli farming can I please get Ruth’s contacts
Hi can I get Ruth’s contacts
Hi, I’m interested in fresh chili peppers. Please provide me with Ms. Ruth Kamau contact information thanks
Please link me to Ruth Kamau. We are already growing bullet Chilies but urgently require the market.
Comment:Link me to Ms Kamau .Am currently farming demon chillies at Naivasha,
When farming chillies make sure you have access to labour force for picking chillies otherwise you can get huge loss,also mode of watering your chillies check,otherwise it’s a good venture,per week you can get 0ver 8k in an acre