Mwangi the Farmer, a seasoned Kenyan farmer and agronomist has advised farmers intending to grow sugar snaps and snowpeas crops to plant them now due to a looming high demand.
He notes that these crops will be selling like hot cake in two months time due to scarcity as most farmers will be gearing up to plant at the onset of the rains.
“If you are looking for a good market for sugar snaps and snowpeas, now is the time to start planting. They’ll take 60 days to mature and you will begin harvesting in April.” Said Mwangi.
“This will ensure you are ahead of the curve and your produce is ready at a time of scarcity as most farmers will be gearing up to plant at the onset of the rains,” he added.
Sugar snap peas also known as Snap peas are rounded edible-pod peas with thick walls. The snap peas are usually confused with snow peas, but the two have one significant difference.
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Sugar snap peas have thick, rounded walls, whereas snow peas have flat, thin walls.
According to Mwangi who has been growing these crops for 5 years, the price of sugar snap has jumped over 100 percent compared to last year with a kilogram selling for a minimum of Sh200 and up to Sh400 compared to Sh100 last year.
For snow peas, the minimum buying price is Sh130 with prices jumping up to Sh250 compared to Sh60 last year.
“Climate change and unreliable weather patterns are making it increasingly difficult to grow these delicate crops not only in Kenya but in Africa’s other major exporting nations Egypt and South Africa. They also require refined technical expertise to get right,” he added.
Reuben Mwangi from Giita Village in Kipipiri, Nyandarua county who has been growing the crops for over 10 years, says the venture is very profitable compared to potato farming.
During the last season, Mwangi who grows peas mainly for export earned Ksh350,000 from half an acre of his land up from the paltry Ksh40,000 he used to get from potatoes.
Sugar snap peas are not only favorable to the pocket but are also high in nutritional value. Apart from being low in calories, they are a good source of iron, which helps to boost production of energy, activates enzymes and nourishes red blood cells.
