Kenyans urged to produce temperate fruit trees

Stephen Opiyo, a staff member at the research and extension department of Kisii University, said he learned that grades of the temperate fruit trees can be improved genetically to have species and cultivars that can withstand pests and diseases.

Obel Hesbon, a research assistant and horticultural consultant at Egerton University, department of crops, horticulture and soils, said he cherished the knowledge gained in the course and would share it with farmers.

"I'm now aware that we can produce a lot of apples and grapes in Kenya. Sensitizing the farmers about the importance of growing these kinds of fruit trees is what is lacking," he said.

John Cheruiyot, a food technologist at the University of Kabianga, said despite the fact that the production of temperate fruit trees is very expensive, the returns are assured because the demand is so high, so farmers should be encouraged to cultivate them.

Dr Alnold Opiyo, a senior lecturer on horticulture at Egerton University, said Kenya has huge horticultural potential.

"We have not even exploited 50 percent of the potential. We should emphasize post-harvest handling of our produce, and improve our infrastructure to have proper storage and swift transportation of the produce," he said.

Dr Opiyo said there is a need to reduce post-harvest loss in Kenya, noting that a third of the fruit harvested in the country is lost at the post-harvest stage.

He said there is need for the country to develop its domestic structures. "We have paid a lot of attention to the export market at the expense of the domestic market, yet what we export is only about 7 percent of our total production," he said.