Improving Kenya's Domestic Horticultural Production and Marketing

Table 4.2 Percentage Distribution of Onion Production Costs in Tanzania and Kenya
Tanzania Kenya
Kenya
Kenya
Mang’ola Oloitoktok Narok/Likipia/Meru Taveta
% cost of % cost of % Cost of TVC % Cost of
TVC TVC
TVC
Nursery operations
Ploughing and preparation 1.45 2.09 3.34 1.97
Seed 1.24 14.50 13.65 10.83
Irrigation 28.68 0.00 14.79 15.60
Polytrin 6.19 7.42 5.65 4.43
Folier feed 0.00 0.81 1.85
Spraying labour
Main field
0.81 0.93 0.90 1.11
Ploughing 1.93 4.64 3.13 4.92
Making of basins & furrows 4.03 4.18 5.64 4.43
Lines for seed placement 2.01 1.39
Planting 6.04 4.18 6.83 11.81
Chemicals 7.98 15.43 11.03 5.17
Fertilizers
7.73 11.14 5.33 7.38
7.73 7.66 2.78 7.38
Weeding 16.11 12.53 12.80 13.29
Harvesting: Uprooting 4.03 6.96 6.67 8.61
Cutting 4.03 6.96 6.67 8.61
Total variable cost (TVC)
Source: Authors Computation
100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00
Table 4.3 Efficiency Measures of Onion Production in Tanzania and Kenya
Items Tanzania
Mang’ola
28
Kenya
Oloitoktok
Kenya
Narok/Laikipia/Meru
Kenya
Taveta
Yield (bags) 120 85 60.0 75
Price(Kshs/bag) 1,483 1,447 1,241 1,400
Gross output (Kshs/acre) 177,960 122,995 74,460 105,000
Gross Margin (Kshs/acre) 129,398 79,895 24,745 65,080
Cost per bag 405 507 829 532
Gross Margin/bag 1,078 940 412 868
Source: Authors Computation
4.2. Onion Storage
Storage is another aspect that adds a competitive advantage to Tanzanian onions. Farm
storage is primarily concerned with making onion available at the desired time in the market.
It becomes more useful by being held from periods of relative plenty to periods of relative
scarcity. Most farmers in Tanzania have good post harvest management practices. They have
built well aerated stores that can keep onions in good condition for a period of six months.
This ensures continuous supply of onions to the markets all the year round and reduces the