Strawberry Farming in Kenya: A Complete Guide for Beginners

Strawberry farming is one of the most promising yet underexploited agribusiness ventures in Kenya. Unlike bananas, mangoes, or oranges, strawberries are not commonly sold on the streets — yet they hold massive profit potential.

Strawberry fruits

In Kenya, strawberries are used by top food processing companies such as Brookside, Trufoods, Zesta, and KCC to make juices, yoghurts, jams, sauces, and other supermarket products. Because local production remains limited, most of these companies still import strawberries, creating a huge gap for local farmers to fill.

🌱 Why Grow Strawberries?

• High Market Demand: Few farmers grow strawberries, meaning the market is far from saturated.

• Quick Returns: Strawberries take only 70 days to mature and can remain productive for up to 3 years, with 2–3 harvest seasons annually.

• High Profit Margins: On average, one can make up to 3x the investment per season once production stabilizes.

• Low Maintenance: With proper watering and care, strawberries are easy to manage.

🍓 Suitable Strawberry Varieties for Kenya

The most common type of strawberry belongs to the Fragaria genus. The varieties that perform best in Kenyan conditions include:

• Chandler (most popular and beginner-friendly)

• Douglas

• Pajaro

• Domanil

• Tioga Selva

• Rabunda

• Tri-Star

• Tribute

These varieties thrive in warm climates and do poorly in frost-prone or extremely cold areas.

Strawberry farm with a black polythene cover

💧 Climate, Soil & Site Requirements

• Climate: Strawberries prefer warm, sunny conditions — avoid frost-prone areas.

• Soil: Well-drained loamy soil rich in organic matter is ideal.

• pH: Maintain a soil pH between 6.0–6.2.

• Sunlight: Ensure the site receives at least 8–10 hours of direct sunlight daily.

👉 Avoid planting strawberries where tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, or raspberries have previously grown, as these crops can harbor soil-borne diseases like Verticillium wilt.

🚜 Land Preparation

1. Clear and Plough: Prepare a weed-free plot.

2. Fertilize: Mix compost or well-rotted manure into the soil.

3. Mound Rows: Create raised beds or plateau rows and cover with black plastic mulch.

4. Install Drip Irrigation: This ensures efficient watering and prevents fungal infections.

Commercial farmers often use tractor machines that simultaneously lay plastic mulch and drip tape for irrigation and fertigation.

Strawberry farm

🌿 Planting Strawberries

• Spacing: Plant seedlings 38–60 cm (15–24 in) apart and leave 90–120 cm (36–48 in) between rows.

• Crown Position: Ensure the crown (where leaves emerge) is level with the soil — not buried too deep or too shallow.

• Watering: Water thoroughly after planting.

• Seedlings: A healthy seedling costs about Ksh 20. For an ⅛-acre farm, about 2,500 seedlings are needed — roughly Ksh 500,000 in initial setup costs.

💡 Tip: Propagate new seedlings from healthy, disease-free runners to expand your farm without repurchasing plants.

🧑‍🌾 General Care and Maintenance

• Watering: Maintain consistent moisture — strawberries need 2.5–3.8 cm of water weekly.

• Fertilization: Apply organic manure or liquid fertilizer through the drip system.

• Weed Control: Regularly remove weeds manually to avoid root disturbance.

• Mulching: Use mulch to retain soil moisture and protect fruits from rot.

• Pest Control: Use organic or chemical pesticides only when necessary.

• Frost Protection: During cold spells, use row covers or greenhouse setups.

🍓 Harvesting

• Strawberries mature about 30 days after flowering.

• Harvest every 2–3 days when fruits are fully red.

• Pick berries with the cap and about 0.5 inches of stem attached.

• Store in shallow, paper-lined containers and refrigerate immediately.

⚠️ Do not wash strawberries until ready to eat or process to preserve shelf life.

 

Strawberry farm with black polythene cover

🐛 Common Pests and Diseases

Problem	Symptoms	Management
Anthracnose	Black sunken lesions on stems and fruits	Use fungicides and crop rotation
Red Stele (Root Rot)	Stunted growth, reddish roots	Use resistant varieties and improve drainage
Gray Mold (Botrytis)	Gray fuzzy mold on fruit	Improve air circulation, avoid overhead watering
Powdery Mildew	White patches on leaves	Apply sulfur-based fungicides
Spider Mites & Aphids	Yellow stippled leaves	Spray neem oil or insecticidal soap
Slugs	Holes in leaves and fruit	Use organic slug traps or barriers

💰 Profitability and Business Insight

Although strawberry farming requires a relatively high initial investment, especially for irrigation systems or greenhouse setups, the returns are highly rewarding.

With proper management:

• You can break even within 6–7 months.

• Each plant can yield up to 500 grams per season.

• Farmers enjoy 2–3 productive years before replanting is necessary.

Greenhouse farming offers added advantages — it protects plants from rain damage and pests while enabling year-round production.

🔄 Crop Rotation and Sustainability

After each production cycle, practice crop rotation using non-related crops like beans, tomatoes, eggplants, okra, capsicum, or cabbages. This prevents soil nutrient depletion and disease buildup.

🌍 Final Thoughts

Strawberry farming in Kenya is a high-potential agribusiness with excellent local and export opportunities. With the right variety selection, irrigation system, pest control, and market strategy, farmers can earn substantial profits within a short time.

Whether you’re a small-scale farmer or planning a commercial greenhouse, strawberries offer a sweet path to sustainable income — literally and figuratively! 🍓