Top North Rift farmers lead switch to high return crops away from maize in Kenya

For many years, Peter Boit grew maize on his vast farm. But with dwindling fortunes, like other large-scale maize farmers, he decided to diversify into coffee and tree farming. “Maize cultivation is no longer a profitable venture due to high investment and low returns. Cartels in the supply market chain cause artificial shortage prior to harvest to flood the market with cheap imports lowering prices for the local produce” says Mr Boit. Large scale farmers in the North Rift region-the country’s food basket and across the country are taking the lead in embracing crop diversification to address the price fluctuations of traditional crops blamed on influx of grains into the country. Mr Boit has diversified to coffee production and private farm forestry which he says attracts better returns compared to maize and wheat cultivation. A kilo of cherry beans is going at Sh60 up from Sh43, while parchment selling at Sh310 up from Sh160 and Mbuni is retailing between Sh45 and Sh 90 for the ...