NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 13 – In the small town of Kaptagat in Eldoret County, a self-taught farmer has emerged as the leading supplier of passion fruits to Kenyan Originals (KO), a Kenyan brewer that specialises in craft beers.
Meet Cyrus Kiprotich, whose journey from novice to the helm of the passion fruit industry is nothing short of inspiring.
With no formal agricultural background, Kiprotich embarked on this venture armed with determination and a thirst for knowledge.
His story is one of resilience, learning from failures, and embracing innovation in the ever-evolving agricultural landscape.
Now, he supplies black wonder purple passion fruits to the company since it is the only variety that performs well in the highland region of Samich in Eldoret.
Supply to KO is dependent on a number of factors, including production and season, but for him, it is mostly done daily.
So, how did he come to know KO?
His first interaction with KO was a lengthy one. After being referred by Mkulima Mdogo Seedlings in Thika, he started to supply the products to the firm through Mary, a middleman, to African Original.
He says he was drawn to passion farming because of the availability of markets, motivation from existing passion farmers in the area, and his parents, who were small-scale farmers.
The graduate of Gazelle High School says that one tree of passion fruit yields one kilogramme of passion per season. Therefore, 300 trees is equivalent to 300 kilos at Sh130 per kg. But KO buys from him for Sh140, dependent on quality.
However, as a KO supplier, he is required to meet some standards.
“Dark and ripen and big sizes, and should be sweet in taste,” the 28-year-old explains.
He is thankful to KO for allowing him to empower others in the surrounding community through job creation, ready supply, and increased demand, which has allowed him to plant more.
Like other farmers, his biggest challenges include poor harvests due to viruses and expensive insecticides.
He advises individuals looking to supply to KO or others to tour local farms and learn farming and seek advice from those in business, among others.
“Be trustworthy in dealing with your customers. Be consistent in your farming journey.”
Nonetheless, Kiprotich is looking forward to being a direct supplier of the products, removing the need for middlemen, mentoring upcoming farmers, and becoming a renown agronomist.
