If exploring new investment opportunities is your thing, it is time to get to know stevia. Native to South America, the stevia plant produces leaves that are packed with sweet compounds that remain stable even after the leaves have been dried.
Majority of health conscious people in developed countries and the rich among us are constantly avoiding taking refined sugar because of its negative impacts to health and replacing it instead with Stevia. As such, market for this crop is fast gathering pace in Kenya and you can be part of it today before it’s too late – remember, it is the early bird that catches the worm.
Growing Stevia For Profit
The crop performs well in well-drained soil in relatively warm areas within the temperature range of 20 and 30 degrees centigrade. In fact, stevia is tolerant to most conditions prevailing in the country and you can enhance productivity by using compost manure. Generally, the ideal acidity level is pH 4 to 5 although the crop does not tolerate salty soils.
A plant that grows in the right conditions can reach up to 24 inches in height with leaves equally as wide.
Land
You can grow the crop either outdoors or indoors but for commercial purposes most farmers prefer to use the outdoor option. Basically, you want to use a piece of land that is well-drained and easily accessible as you’ll need to gather stems often.
Planting Stevia
Plant your stevia in such a way that there is about 18 inches in between any two plants. Ideally you should plant it just before the rainy season although you can always try another season by using irrigation. Keep enriching your farm with manure and mulch. Look out for any weeds that may develop and be sure to remove them in good time. Basically, it will take about 3 months for the herbs to mature and be ready for harvesting.
Harvesting & Storing
To harvest the herb, you will need to cut the whole stem and then strip the leaves and tender stem tips. Put your harvest in a clean gallery and allow it to dry. You can take it outdoors on sunny days or even use a dehydrator if you own one. Once the leaves are crisp, they will be ready for purchase and you can even take a few of them and crush them to meet your sugar needs at home.
The Mathematics of Farming Stevia – Is It a Good Venture?
Currently, the business of stevia is proving quite beneficial in counties like Nandi, Kericho, Nakuru, Uasin Gishu, Narok, Laikipia, Bungoma and Meru. There is a farmer in Kericho who has planted a large 15 acres farm and he has been quoted saying that he makes an average of Ksh700,000 per year. He sells his produce to a company called PureCircle which buys a kilo of dry leaves for Ksh105.
He also sells cuttings (stevia seeds) to farmers who are looking to get started in this business at Ksh2 per cutting. A kilo of cuttings contains 370 cuttings on average and this one goes for Ksh400.
In his opinion, Stevia has better returns per acreage than tea, sugarcane or maize but the downside is that the herb requires constant weeding.
The company, Pure Circle buys directly from farmers and exports the herb to China where the sweetener is extracted before final processing in Malaysia. Currently, Kenya produces 240 metric tonnes of stevia against a demand of 10,000 metric tonnes.
