Big gamble with oranges in the arid North pays off

Ahmed Abdirahman Hassan checks on the oranges that he grows in his farm in Mandera. Hassan began the project with 3,000 orange seedlings. PHOTO | MANASE OTSIALO | NMG

What you need to know:

  • Hassan began the project with 3,000 orange seedlings but all dried due to the scorching sun.
  • Hassan says selling the oranges a piece is more profitable than selling them in bulk.
  • Common diseases affecting orange trees and fruits include greening disease that makes fruits under-developed and smaller in size.
  • Pruning of dead tree tissues and use of copper sprays is the most advisable way of controlling diseases on orange farms.

Sometime in 2010, Ahmed Abdirahman Hassan conceived the idea of planting oranges on his 16 acres at Neboi on the outskirts of Mandera town.

Some of his friends thought he was out of mind when he shared the idea going by the harsh climatic conditions, but Hassan was determined to execute it since he had seen oranges were in high demand.

“I saw a ready market for oranges and no one was interested in producing them yet they were importing from Ethiopia or bringing them from Nairobi, which made the fruits expensive,” says the businessman.

Hassan began the project with 3,000 orange seedlings but all dried due to the scorching sun.

“I did not give up despite failing in my second attempt after planting another 3,000 seedlings. At my third trial, I ended up with 746 trees that are on my farm today.”

Hassan recounts that he would buy the seedlings from Nairobi and transport them to Mandera by air. “I would spend huge sums of money per trip I ferried the 3,000 seedlings,” he says. Hassan started enjoying the fruits of his sweat four years later when he made his first harvest that earned him Sh500,000 from over 20,000 fruits.

“I sold the fruits at Sh20 each despite the size from the farm because of the monopoly I had. And at the market, I sold for up to Sh50 each since the demand was high and still is.” He still remains the largest orange farmer in the county, and has ready customers from women groups running stalls in Mandera Town. They buy the fruits from Hassan’s farm every morning when they are in season.

“The oranges are sweet and juicy unlike those we get from Ethiopia and even from Nairobi,” says Halima Golo, a small-scale trader in Mandera town.

Hassan says selling the oranges a piece is more profitable than selling them in bulk.

“In my second harvest, I got slightly over Sh1 million and I am expecting more in this season’s harvest,” he says.

Hassan vows not to quit orange farming soon considering the promising future that lies ahead.

KEY CHALLENGES

He cites water shortage, fungal diseases and harsh weather conditions as the main challenges in the venture. “During the dry spell, I am forced to pump water for irrigation from a nearby river and when it rains and floods as it did few months ago, diseases attack the crops.”

Hassan practices mulching on his farm to maintain soil moisture. He also weeds regularly and prunes to maintain trees at a height of 100cm to encourage branching and easy harvesting.

Common diseases affecting orange trees and fruits include greening disease that makes fruits under-developed and smaller in size.

Anthracnose is another disease whose signs include dried up flowers, leaves, shoots and fruits.

To control this condition, a farmer is advised to avoid overhead irrigation and use sprinklers and wide tree spacing to reduce relative humidity within tree canopy.

Pruning of dead tree tissues and use of copper sprays is the most advisable way of controlling diseases on orange farms.

Mandera County Agriculture Director Bernard Ogutu says ideal temperatures for oranges range from 13oC to 38oC.

He says Mandera East and Mandera North along the river have good soils for orange production and that the county government is encouraging more farmers to get into this venture. Other areas that can support orange production in Mandera are in Banisa sub county, but most of those growing them there are doing it on small scale.

Oranges can be grown in a wide range of climatic and soil conditions, but proper site selection remains key.

“Extreme hot temperatures cause flowers and leaves to drop prematurely and that is what the farmer faced when he started the project,” says Ogutu.

The agriculture officer adds rainfall or irrigation throughout most of the year is necessary for oranges.

However, dry and hot temperatures during the day and cool temperatures at night are favourable for good colour and test development.

Ogutu says oranges grow best in deep soils of medium texture and moderate depth, with good drainage and high fertility. Moderate pH conditions between 5 and 7 are preferable.