Paul Munyaga embarked on his pumpkin farming journey without a clear understanding of where to sell his produce.
However, after four years, this endeavor has proven to be more lucrative than he had ever anticipated.
Munyanga initiated this agricultural pursuit in 2017 on a two-acre plot located in Gathage village, Gatundu South, with the assistance of a friend who provided him with training on pumpkin cultivation.
“Former Ng’enda MCA Michael Kuria allowed me to work at his farm. This is where I learned about pumpkin farming and how it was lucrative,” he said.
Munyanga stated that he acquired the materials from a friend who had returned from Israel following an agricultural tour.
He remarked that his initial harvest yielded a substantial profit, which motivated him to persist with the endeavor and to increase the area of land dedicated to cultivation.
“My first harvest fetched me more than Ksh 200,000. I couldn’t believe it. A broker who saw some of the pumpkins I was selling at Ngara market in Nairobi bought them all and sold them to some Chinese at Ksh 50 per kg. This was when I realized my venture was a cash cow,” he stated.
Munyanga’s agricultural enterprise cultivates approximately 600 pumpkin plants, yielding between 15 and 20 tonnes of pumpkins annually.
The farmer reports that each pumpkin, weighing between 10 and 15 kilograms, is sold for prices ranging from Ksh 300 to Ksh 700.
In 2021, he earned Ksh 300,000 from the sale of 15 tonnes of pumpkins to a trader contracted by the United Nations for supply to the African Union forces in Somalia.
“He agreed to buy the pumpkins at Ksh 20 per kg and I sold him all that I had harvested. This farming is highly profitable with less production cost. All I need on the farm is two lorries of manure that goes for only Ksh 35,000 per lorry and water.
“The prices for pumpkins weighing a kilogram range between Ksh 15 and Ksh 50 and the demand is high while production cost is minimal,” he stated.
Munyaga asserts that the advantages of cultivating pumpkins go beyond their minimal production expenses, as there is a readily accessible local market.
Nevertheless, he notes that the crop is susceptible to pest infestations, which can result in reduced yields.
Munyanga identifies the melon fly as the primary pest, which damages the pumpkins by puncturing them during their early growth stages, prior to maturation.
“The pest is the major problem for any pumpkin farmer. The pests are destructive because they lower production but I control them by spraying the crops with organic pesticides,” he said.
Munyanga, who is currently roasting and packaging pumpkin seeds for sale to commuters traveling along the Kimbo-Kiganjo road, intends to begin enhancing the value of his pumpkins.