Groundnuts Retail at Shs.11,500 in Nairobi as Other Towns Retain Relative Profitability

Serious farmers are reaping big on groundnut farming and it is estimated that a 110-kilogram bag retailing for as much as 11,500 shillings. With an acre of land, a farmer is likely to harvest 1.6 tonnes of groundnuts.

In the recent years, Kenyan farmers have shown great interest in high-value crops like groundnuts thus embracing them more as compared to maize, beans and other crops that were considered profitable.

Groundnuts requires less maintenance and adds valuable nitrogen to soils compared to maize which can earn a farmer less than 40 bags weighing 90 kilograms, which retail for as low as 2000 shillings.

Just like maize, groundnut is an early season crop, thus, it must be grown at the onset of rains.

Groundnut varieties differ from size, color and shape and in Kenya, they include Red Oriata, Manipinta, Makulu Red, Bukene, Homa Bay, Texas Peanut, Red Valencia, and Atika.

Although average maturity time for most groundnuts is estimated at 1000 days, some do mature as early as 90 days while others take up to 130 days, depending also on climatic conditions.

Currently, there is a booming business on groundnuts and any farmer can grab the opportunity and run with it to the bank. This is because it has been estimated that a 110-kilogram bag of groundnuts is being sold at an average market price of 10,040 shillings across the country.

Nairobi has the highest market price of 11,500 shillings for the 110-kilogram bag with Nakuru having the lowest market price of 8,500 shillings.

A market survey on other selected towns across the country showed the following market prices: 11,000 shillings in Mombasa, 10,350 shillings in Eldoret, 9,000 shillings in Kisumu and 8,500 shillings in Nakuru.