Ever thought about diving into the world of cabbage farming? It can be an incredibly rewarding venture, but as I recently learned, it also comes with its fair share of surprises and tough lessons. This past July 2024, I decided to invest some timber sale profits into something new: cabbage farming here in Kenya. Let me tell you, it was quite the adventure!
Choosing the Right Seeds: A Crucial First Step
My wife and I kicked off our journey by researching on the best cabbage seedlings. The general consensus among experienced farmers pointed us towards ‘F1’ seedlings for optimal results.
It turns out, the best F1 variety really depends on your specific region in Kenya. For instance, ‘Gloria F1’ is a popular choice for highland areas like my home in the Southern Rift Valley. We also discovered ‘Baraka F1’ and ‘Greenboy F1’ as other promising varieties from different companies that thrive in similar conditions.
From Seedbed to Field: The Transplanting Challenge
For our first batch, we purchased 50g sachets of both Gloria F1 and Queen F1 seeds. We carefully sowed them in a nursery seedbed, letting them grow for 30 days before transplanting. The companies claimed each 50g sachet contained roughly 10,000 seedlings, enough to plant an acre, depending on your spacing (an acre can typically hold 10,000 to 20,000 seedlings). Based on this, we estimated we had about 20,000 seeds, enough for 1.5 of our 2 acres.
However, reality hit during transplanting! We only managed to plant around 8,000 seedlings – that’s all that germinated. This covered just half an acre.
It makes you wonder, right? Did we really lose 12,000 seeds, or are the manufacturers’ claims a bit optimistic? This is a question I’d love to hear your thoughts on in the comments below, especially if you’re a regular cabbage farmer! Many in my area report similar experiences with fewer seedlings than expected.
More Seeds, More Land: A Glimmer of Hope
Undeterred, we dipped back into our pockets and bought more seedlings, this time opting for Greenboy F1 and Baraka F1. We sowed them in the seedbed, and thankfully, these varieties did much better than Gloria F1. When they were ready, we transplanted them, and this time, we managed to plant almost another acre! We were so motivated, especially seeing how well Greenboy performed compared to the others.
I distinctly remember planting these seedlings in mid-October, a time when rainfall was quite low. Despite the harsh weather, Greenboy surprisingly held up remarkably well! By the end of this phase, we had planted about 1.5 acres, leaving just 0.5 acres to go. At this point, we had approximately 21,000 cabbage plants in the ground.
The First Harvest: A Taste of Disappointment
As we contemplated getting seeds for the remaining plot, our first batch of cabbages was ready for market. Unfortunately, only Gloria F1 looked good. We lost about 60% of our Queen F1 crop due to stunted growth; they simply didn’t mature and remained small with unhealthy leaves.
While searching for buyers for our ready cabbages, I also went looking for seeds for the last section of the farm. Since Greenboy F1, which had done so well, wasn’t available, I decided to purchase another 100g of Gloria F1. This was early November, and the rainfall was still inconsistent. My farm worker had to diligently sprinkle water on the seedbeds to keep the young plants alive.
The Cabbage Market Crisis: A Hard Fall
Typically, cabbage buyers visit farms looking for crops. For weeks, I spoke to numerous potential buyers for our first 0.5 acres of mature cabbages, but not a single one came through. It was incredibly disheartening. I kept pushing, hoping to find a buyer for the rest of our cabbages. In the end, in December, I had to sell them at a throwaway price of Ksh. 6,000 to a neighbor for cattle feed.
Just imagine, if I had sold 5,000 cabbages (accounting for some that didn’t mature from the initial 8,000) at Ksh. 20 each, I would have made Ksh. 100,000. Ouch!
Second Batch and Continued Challenges (January-February)
My hope was that January to March, usually a dry season in most parts of Kenya, would bring a good market. I had about 12,000 cabbages ready to sell during this period. However, I soon discovered there was an oversupply of cabbages, leading to consistently low demand.
By the end of February, I managed to sell only about 2,000 cabbages at Ksh. 7 each, bringing in Ksh. 14,000. The remaining were sold in smaller batches for Ksh. 5 each, adding another Ksh. 3,000, for a total of Ksh. 17,000.
The Final Stretch (The Last 0.5 Acres)
The seeds for the final 0.5 acres were ready in January, but the weather was still dry with no signs of rain. Despite this, I went ahead and planted them. A week later, I had to spend Ksh. 1,000 every four days just to sprinkle water on them. After three rounds of watering, it finally rained! About half of these cabbages matured well, while the rest were affected by the dry spell. When they finally matured in April, the market was still poor. I ended up selling cabbages worth only Ksh. 3,000. Another loss.
The Financial Reality: Expenses vs. Sales
Let’s break down the numbers.
Total Sales: Ksh. 26,000
Total Expenses:
- Land preparation: Ksh. 8,000
- Labor (planting): Ksh. 10,000
- Fertilizer: Ksh. 10,000
- F1 seeds (300g): Ksh. 24,610
- Weeding: Ksh. 6,000
- Insecticides: Ksh. 2,000
- Total Expenses: Ksh. 60,610
Net Loss: Ksh. 34,610
What Could Have Been: Projected Profits
If everything had gone perfectly and the market was strong, what kind of returns could we have seen? For two acres, you can typically harvest between 30,000 and 40,000 cabbages.
Let’s say we managed 30,000 cabbages and sold them at a wholesale price of Ksh. 20 each. That would have brought in a whopping Ksh. 600,000! Subtracting our Ksh. 60,610 in expenses, we would have made a profit of Ksh. 539,000. That’s roughly ten times the amount invested in raw materials! A stark contrast to my actual experience.
Key Lessons Learned from My Cabbage Farming Experience
It’s certainly discouraging to face losses, especially when the market is the primary issue. However, I truly believe that firsthand experience trumps hearsay any day. Here are my biggest takeaways:
- Mindset is Everything in Farming: You absolutely won’t succeed if you’re not mentally prepared for both profits and losses. Whichever comes your way, you need to be ready to learn from it and move forward.
- Capital is King: Ensure you have sufficient capital for your intended farming land. Buyers often look for large quantities of cabbages to fill a lorry, and if you have less, they might simply move on.
- Market Research is Non-Negotiable: Before you even think about investing, do your homework! If possible, start looking for buyers yourself when your cabbages are nearing maturity. This proactive approach prevents you from holding onto your harvest, desperately waiting for a better price.
- Sell at the Current Market Price: Don’t hold out hoping for a higher offer. In farming, delays can cost you everything. Selling at the current market rate, even if it’s not ideal, is often better than losing your entire crop.
Wrapping Up My Farming Tale
This journey has been a tough but invaluable teacher, filled with unexpected turns and a few financial bumps. While the losses were certainly disheartening, the hands-on experience and the profound lessons learned are truly priceless.
I hope sharing my real-world insights into cabbage farming in Kenya helps aspiring farmers better navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities that come with agricultural ventures. Remember, every setback is a setup for a comeback, and the knowledge gained is always a step forward!
What do you think? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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Up until next time, bye bye and take care.
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