Economic-Review-of-Agriculture_2015-6

3.1.5 Sorghum
Sorghum production progressively increased during the last three years period (2012 - 2014) especially in the ASAL.
This was attributed to the Ministry’s efforts to revitalize the crop as one of the Traditional High Value Crops (THVC),
and ready market from beer industry.
Sorghum production increased by 5 percent from 1,876,192 bags (90 kg) in 2013 to 1,972,810 bags 2014. Production
was highest in Eastern and Nyanza regions with 761,414 and 757,862 (90 kg bags) respectively. The two regions
produced about 72 percent of the total production. Although the area under production reduced, yields per hectare
continued to rise for the last three years from 7 bags/ha in 2011 to a high of 9.2 bags (90 kg) in 2014.
Table 3.5: Sorghum
Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Area (ha) 225,782 254,125 223,799 223,659 213,520
Production
90 kg bag 1,822,950 1,776,412 1,851,411 1,876,192 1,972,810
tons 110,494 111,229 166,627 168,857 177,553
Yield (90 kg/ha) 8.1 7.0 8.3 8.4 9.2
Wholesale (90 kg bag) 2,576 2,298 3,686 3,582 3,820
Total Value (billion) 4.70 4.08 6.82 6.72 7.54
Source: SDA
3.1.6 Millet
Millet production increased over the five year period (Table 3.6). This could be attributed to increased awareness
leading to adoption of drought tolerant/high yielding varieties. The crop registered a 37.8 percent increase in
production from 1,431,311 bags in 2013 to 1,972,810 bags in 2014. Although the area under the crop declined by
17.5 percent in 2014 to a low of 138,829 ha from 168,291 ha in 2013, millet continued to thrive well in the marginal
areas of the Eastern and Nyanza regions.
Table 3.6: Millet
Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Area (ha) 99,124 111,271 118,289 168,291 138,829
Production
90 kg bag 598,678 815,509 832,398 1,431,311 1,972,810
tons 110,494 111,229 138,204 125,256 1,442,761
Yield (90 kg/ha) 6.0 7.3 7.0 8.5 14.2
Wholesale price (Kshs/90 kg bag) 4,689 5,204 5,720 5,933 6,624
Source: “…”=data not available SDA
3.1.7 Beans
Area under beans production was 1,052,408 ha in 2014 representing a marginal decline of 2.9 percent compared to
1,083,604 ha in 2013 (Table 3.7). Consequently, production also declined, though by a higher margin of 13.8 percent
to register 6.8 million bags (90 kg) down from 7.9 million bags produced in 2013. This decline could be attributed
to unfavorable weather conditions which resulted to lower yield of 7.3 bags/ha in 2013 compared to 6.5 bags/ha in
2014.
Economic Review of Agriculture [ERA] 2015 12