8,000 Kerio Valley farmers secure a mango market

Luke Rotich works on his mango farm at Lomanira village in Mogotio Sub County. [Mercy Kahenda/Standard]

At least 8,000 farmers in Kerio Valley now have a ready market for their mangoes — a development that is expected to reduce losses.

Kenya Fruits Solution, a Thika-based fruit marketing firm, announced plans to buy 10,000 metric tonnes of dried apple mangoes from the farmers every harvesting season.

Farmers are also set to benefit from the establishment of a Sh11 million mango drying factory which will be completed in December.

The project is funded by the Japanese Government and African Inland Church (AIC) Cheptebo Rural Development Centre.

Kenya Fruits Solution Managing Director Ayumi Yamamoto said the company had inked a deal with local farmers to buy the mangoes for local and export market every harvesting season.

Ms Yamamoto said her firm was satisfied with the quality of mangoes in Kerio Valley after monitoring production for over two years.

“We will need high quality and hygienic mangoes. We also purchase pineapples and coconuts,” she said.

Elated farmers said establishment of the value addition facility would end the perennial problem of mango glut that causes huge losses.