Kenyans may grow temperate fruits

Despite being in a tropical region, Kenya can still produce high yields of temperate fruit trees like apples, pears, peach, plums, and grapes if the right technologies and cultivars are used, according to Tao Jianmin, professor of grape planting and breeding at Nanjing Agricultural University.

Tao compared the Kenyan climatic conditions, characterized by the rain and the dry seasons, as similar to that of Yunnan province, currently the highest producer of grapes in China.

He said grapes should be grown in greenhouses to avoid disease and pests attacks especially during the rainy season. This also ensures two harvests per year.

Tao gave the remarks during an interview after conclusion of a one-week course on temperate fruit production under tropical conditions held at Egerton University in Kenya's Nakuru County.

"I'm willing to partner with local farmers and bring a certain type of cultivar that I bred. It produces bigger sized and sweeter grapes," Tao said.

One of the key reasons behind poor development of temperate fruit trees in tropical regions is the lack of a sufficiently cold period to break the trees' dormancy period. Temperatures below 7 C and low light irradiance are required to break dormancy.

According to Tao, these challenges can be overcome through breeding fruit cultivars, which have low winter chilling requirements, and through use of chemicals like hydrogen cyanamide. "Use of the chemical has played a key role in enabling Yunnan to increase its grapes' yield. The chemical can also be used in apples," he said.

Those hearing the talk, including professors, farmers and agricultural extension officers, said that the Chinese experience as well as best practices in other parts of the world, opened their eyes to the potential for temperate fruit tree production.

Hope Maina, supervisor of the vineyard at Kenya Nuts Company, said the insights shared by Tao on production of grapes will greatly benefit her company that has been growing the fruit for the last 25 years.

Maina said irrigation water is one of the key requirements in growing grapes. She added that sensitization is important to farmers wishing to venture in grape farming to learn where to obtain seedlings and market their produce.

John Cheruiyot, a food technologist at University of Kabianga, said that, although production of temperate fruit trees is very expensive, the returns are assured because the demand is so high.

edithmutethya@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 07/11/2019 page11)