Despite its potential, guava is one of the most overlooked fruits in Kenya. The fruit is a berry that may be round, ovoid, or pear-shaped.
Statistics by the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) indicate that the Eastern Province is the major producer of the drought-resistant fruit while North Eastern has the least production.
The fruit thrives in tropical and subtropical climates. Guava plants can be propagated through seeds, cuttings, or grafting, with grafting being the preferred method for ensuring desirable traits.
Grafted guava seedlings mature in only two years, while ungrafted ones take up to four to start bearing fruits.
According to Farmers Trend, guava fruits should be harvested at the appropriate maturity stage to ensure optimal flavor, texture, and shelf life.
Harvesting is typically done when the fruits start to change color and become slightly soft. Special care should be taken to avoid damaging the fruits during harvesting, which might lower their quality.
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Post-harvest treatments, such as hot water treatment, can be applied to control fruit fly infestation and extend the shelf life of guavas.
Hot water treatment involves immersing the fruits in hot water for a specific duration to kill any insect larvae present.
It is estimated that the potential yield per guava tree is 40kg, from which a farmer makes up to Sh11 per kg. According to Kalro, a farmer who has 20 trees can make up to Sh7,200 in a year.
However, experts say value addition is the main secret to highly profitable guava farming. Guavas can be processed into various products such as juice, jams, jellies, purees, and dried fruit, providing additional income streams.
Dr Lusike Wasilwa, the Kalro director of crop systems, says under value addition, a farmer can make upto Sh240,000 from 20 trees.
“Farmers who do value addition on guava by processing it into jam, juice jelly, cheese, and sweets can increase their yields to 240,000 on 20 trees,” said Dr. Wasilwa.
Wasilwa highlighted some of the main challenges hindering guava farmers from reaching their potential, among them lack of superior varieties, limited knowledge in agronomic practices, and limited postharvest practices.
