4-Fast Maturing Fruit Seedlings That You Can Farm With a Budget of Less Than Ksh100,000

Generally speaking, fruit trees are slow to mature fruiting-wise, taking anywhere from about three to seven years before they begin to produce. However, not all types have the same growth rate. While searching for fast fruit trees, they recommend looking for "self-fruitful" types. Since these trees don’t have to rely on cross-pollination or pollinators to produce fruit, you don’t need to wait quite as long to enjoy your favorite fruits. Grafted fruit trees typically bear fruit during the first year, though the drawback is they cannot carry fruits as they are not strong enough. If you allow them to carry fruit at a young age, you may end up breaking them, which means you have to fork out for the extra support which could be expensive.

There are quite a number of fast maturing fruit seedling you can cultivate on small scale that will earn you a decent amount of profit as a main hustle or as a side hustle. The assumptions made are that you might be having a small piece of land lying idle somewhere. The alternative is leasing which makes economic sense as you are dealing with fast maturing fruit seedlings. Most farmers lease farmlands yearly, on this occasion make sure you get at least a 3 year assurance for the lease.  

The initial cost of setup might be high but that's a one time cost, once fruiting begins only standard practice apply which is watering, weeding, fertilizer application and spraying programs. We will just look into a few of this crops, you can visit www.richfarmkenya.com website for detailed articles.

1. Strawberries

It is relatively easy to grow strawberries as long you are careful about maintaining the nutrients in the soil. It starts with preparing the soil that should have good drainage and should be rich in organic matter.

Once you have your strawberry plants, you will place them in rows that are 40 cm apart from each other and 30 cm from each plant. Arrange them in way that they develop in an orderly manner and get decent air flow, Water them weekly with a line and don’t forget they love the sunlight so don’t be afraid to leave them there for the day. Monitor the soil nutrients and apply fertilizer accordingly to keep the balance right.

Strawberry farm

The berries are ready to harvest about three months later — just don’t harvest before they have reached bright red. Don squeezes them in order to avoid bruising these delicate fruits. 

A small 1/8th piece of land can yield around 30 to 50 kilograms of strawberries each week, with each kilo selling for about Ksh150 in today’s market. Using 30kgs, that brings your sales to about Ksh72,000 a month, assuming half of that goes into cost of production you will net 36,000 with your side hustle. Considering that common disease are more prominent in cold weather you might consider doing it in a greenhouse or relatively warmer areas. Fruits grown in warmer areas are sweeter. 

When using greenhouses please consider using vertical gardens to maximize on space, they are also convenient to work on while maintaining an upright posture that's good for your health.

Strawberry farming on vertical garden

• Cost per seedling Ksh. 60
• Seedlings per acre -24,000 
• Spacing - 30cm by 40cm
• Fruit price- Ksh 150-200 per kg (farmgate)
• Yield- 200kgs per week
• Common pests- red spider mites
• Diseases- blight, fusarium wilt, bacterial wilt
• Lifespan 2-3 years

Strawberry Farming in Kenya: Why Just A Few Farmers Are Swimming In The Berry Millions

2. Passion fruit

You can achieve success in passion fruit farming in both cool highland and hot lowland areas, as there are specific varieties that thrive in various climates. The most critical factor to assess is your soil condition. Passion fruits flourish in well-drained soil with a pH range of 6.0 to 7.0. These plants prefer warm temperatures, ideally between 20°C and 30°C.
Additionally, you will need support systems like trellises or fences for the vines to grow effectively. As with other rapidly growing crops, consistent watering is crucial. Ensure the soil remains moist but avoid over-saturation. Regularly monitor and enhance soil nutrients and organic matter.








Typically, harvesting starts 6 to 9 months after planting healthy seedlings. The grafted purple variety reaches maturity faster than the sweet yellow variety, which is usually not grafted.
You can profit from passion fruit farming even in a small backyard space due to the high market demand.
With a spacing of 2m by 3m, an acre would accommodate slightly more than 650 plants. Taking the lowest production of 1kg per week from each tree, an acre is able to give 650 kgs every week. We shall also take the lowest farm gate price possible which is Ksh80 for purple passion. That will earn you 52,000 per week for at least 6 months in a year




• Cost per seedling Ksh. 100 (grafted), Ksh60 for non grafted sweet yellow passion
• Seedlings per acre - 650
• Spacing - 2m by 3m
• Fruit price- Ksh 80-150 per kg (farmgate)
• Yield- 1 kg per plant per week
• Lifespan 3 years

Here’s a more detailed article on commercial passion fruit farming: Passion Fruit Farming in Kenya: The Costs and Expected Returns

3. Pawpaws

Pawpaws, commonly known as papayas, are fruits that frequently encounter restricted availability in the marketplace. They are especially popular among infants due to their substantial levels of vitamins A and C, as well as other essential nutrients. The first step in cultivating pawpaws involves selecting a suitable location with well-drained soil and sufficient sunlight. Fortunately, pawpaws are not particularly demanding regarding fertilizers; thus, excessive applications are unnecessary. However, it is crucial to integrate at least one bucket of farmyard or animal manure for each tree during planting.





Pawpaw trees thrive in arid conditions and can withstand significant droughts. To maintain a reliable yield of sweet fruits, it may be beneficial to provide irrigation during dry spells. Additionally, regularly pruning old leaves improves air circulation and promotes healthy fruit development. Harvesting pawpaws typically begins between six to nine months after transplanting and fruits can be gathered before they reach full ripeness, provided they are mature. A mature pawpaw is identifiable by the appearance of a red or yellow-orange stripe on its exterior.



Pawpaw under irrigation



Pawpaw farming is more lucrative in hot and arid regions. It is also possible to cultivate pawpaws effectively in warmer midland areas (for instance, the coffee-growing regions of central Kenya). The demand for fresh pawpaws is increasing in both local and international markets; however, this makes pawpaw farming a dependable source of income. Although some challenges may arise, the potential for profit remains significant because of the rising popularity of the fruit.

• Cost per seedling Ksh. 100
• Seedlings per acre -1,100 
• Spacing - 2m by 2m
• Fruit price- Ksh. 60-80 per kg
• Yield- 800-1200kgs per week per acre
• Common pests- mites
• Lifespan 2-5 yrs depending on variety

Pawpaw farming in Kenya: A Guide From Planting To Selling

4.  Dragon fruit

Dragon fruit farming is an amazing project that marries the wonderful beauty of the fruit and the economic benefits. With its vibrant pink or yellow skin and unique, succulent flesh speckled with tiny black seeds, dragon fruit is a true showstopper. Besides its attractive appearance, it has a myriad of health benefits. It is an absolute superfood that will brighten you up along, facilitate your bowel movements. Dragon fruit is really packed with antioxidants, vitamin C, and fiber.

For those who are at the starting point of dragon fruit farming, however, several things should be the main focus. Despite the fact that dragon fruit is well-adapted to subtropical and tropical areas, it can be grown in greenhouses or containers too in cooler regions. Moreover, proper support towers should be constructed to provide the vines with a good grip on their climb to the sky. One post should have a capacity to hold two seedlings and up to 5 vines per seedling.

Noteworthy is the fact that, one of the advantageous features of the dragon fruit farming, is its flexibility. In addition, the small-scale farmers who want to diversify crops and the busy gardener with little space can easily utilize dragon fruit cultivation in diverse environments. From backyard gardens to large-scale plantations, there's a place for dragon fruit in every farming endeavor.

Dragon fruit at the Fruit Attraction at the Feria de Madrid Exhibition 2024

Contrary to an unpopular opinion doing rounds in social media platforms dragon fruit cannot be compared to quail farming. The fruit has started gaining consumers in our local markets long after it has been on the international scene for decades. The fruit originated from southern Mexico and Central America and has seen it's spread to East Asia which are a very health conscious part of the world. Kenya is one of the first countries in Africa to start dragon fruit farming. It is therefore advisable for small scale farmers to form groups to avoid exploitation by brokers who make a killing in the international markets. Check out the prices in the international markets for comparison, you will be shocked.

I am well aware that nobody exported quail eggs or meat to international markets. Every venture should be well researched before putting all your savings into it. We are living in a very digitized era as compared to when quail was infamous, more information is available online for sober decisions to be made. 

Dragon fruit farming with its irresistible quality and potential for profitability is a close vehicle of success that should be explored.

While the initial investment is very costly you should consider doing it in phases. You can enjoy some mouth watering discounts if you get in touch with us to kick you off on this venture.

• Cost per seedling Ksh. 350
• Seedlings per acre -2,000 
• Spacing - 2m by 2m
• Fruit price- Ksh 500-700 Per Kg
• Yield- 20-30 fruits per vine, a plant should have at least 5 vines
• Common pests- the plant is generally disease and pest resistant. 
• Lifespan - 40 yrs plus

3 Reasons Why You Should Invest In Dragon Fruit Farming In Kenya In 2024

For more information, you can always reach us on Whatsapp or call on +254724698357 / +254723213602. Or you can shoot us an email via info@richfarmkenya.com.