“Farmer makes KSh 1,000,000 from an acre of onions!”
We are not new to such headlines.
The articles then go ahead to give attractive yields and market prices, building a very good case of numbers that then see Kenyans break the bank for cash to invest. Barely hours after the article debuts, social media is awash with inquiries from the eager would be investors:
“I’m looking for two acres along a permanent river to lease….”
“What is the best seed variety for…”
“Where can I get seedlings for…”
Familiar, right?
High priced crops are always attractive to farmers. Who doesn’t want to make money off the farm?
What we forget or what no one tells us is, the cost of production, farm management, good timing, quality of inputs and and return on investment coupled with other external factors such as weather conditions, logistics and market dynamics play a big role in enterprise prioritization. The net revenue vs input costs is key in determining a viable enterprise rather than the allure of absolute prices offered for the commodity.
Let’s not even start on the running costs and the headache that is the worry and anxiety over the new enterprise. Let’s talk about it another time.
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