Why Farmers Make More Money With The New Muranga 20 Macadamia Variety

Macadamia farmers in Kenya were a happy lot last year (2019) as the prices went to a high of Sh200 per kilo. But some farmers were smiling more than others. You know which ones those are? They are the farmers who have planted the Muranga 20 variety (MRG-20).

Muranga 20 macadamia nuts: The variety gives high quality nuts

This variety is the best for anyone intending to do commercial macadamia farming anywhere in Kenya. It’s most important advantage is its ability to adapt to any climatic conditions; it can be planted in tea growing areas with an altitude above 1700 m such as Kericho and Meru and thrive just as well as it would in a low altitude area such as Taita Taveta.

Buy Murang'a 20 macadamia seedlings from Richfarm Kenya.

According to Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, KALRO, Murang’a 20 macadamia variety is best suited for marginal coffee growing areas with an altitude between 1400 m and 1550 m, and average annual rainfall of over 850 mm and a mean temperature of 20℃ to 21℃.

In these areas, a mature tree produces quality nuts with a yield reaching 100 kgs per tree.

Muranga 20 is fast maturing

Forget the days when you would have to wait for more than 7 years to see your first few nuts. With grafted and certified seedlings of this variety you start harvesting in the third year, each tree giving about 20 kilos of nuts. You can get these seedlings for sale at Richfarm Kenya, Embu nursery or call 0724698357 to have them delivered to your farm.

A bunch of Muranga 20 Macadamia nuts growing Kenya

The recommended spacing for macadamia trees is 8×8 m with which an acre accommodates about 70 trees. However, due to the fast maturing nature of grafted Muranga 20 seedlings, some farmers plant them with a spacing of 4×4 m, getting about 260 trees in an acre.

Such farmers enjoy 4 times the yield compared to those who start off with the recommended 8×8 m spacing, for about 10 years. During this time, the farmers maintain the trees’ productivity and health through regular pruning. When the trees grow very big forming canopies that prevent proper orchard aeration, the farmer then thins off the trees by removing the weak, diseased or unproductive ones.

High Quality Nuts

The Nut Traders Association of Kenya (NUTAK) chairman is on record saying they are ready to pay as high as ksh300 per kilo of macadamia if the farmers produce quality nuts.

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This is something that farmers can well achieve by planting Muranga 20. Due to its vigour in growth and its ability to adapt to the climate, this variety produces high quality nuts irrespective of how the weather turns out.

Varieties such as Kiambu 3 and Embu 1 are high producers but need a lot of water to give high quality nuts. In case of reduced rains, farmers with these varieties are forced to irrigate or risk losing out in the market because of quality issues.

High profit

Now with over 30 registered buyers of raw macadamia in Kenya, macadamia farming is no longer a risky bet. It is a sure investment option. Richfarm Kenya have a package in which you invest Ksh40,000 in an acre of macadamia. They will plant and take care of 80 trees for 3 months to ensure they are well established.

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Since macadamia trees have a lifespan of over 100 years, this becomes a lifetime investment from which you earn without much involvement since the trees are hardy and do not demand daily attention as is with short term crops.