Onion farming in Kenya (production and harvesting.)

 Onions are members of the bulb vegetable family and that means they grow below the surface. In onions the bulb is the part used i.e.; when preparing food.

 Onion varieties in Kenya

There are different onion varieties available in the Kenyan market but the most commonly grown are;

Red and white Creoles

Tropicana F1

 Red Bombay  

Jambar F1 (which is commonly preferred by onion farmers due to it being a high yielder and producing large-sized onions).

Climate requirements for onions to grow

For the onion to grow it requires these conditions;

Rainfall – the rainfall should be about 100MM per year but in case of low rainfall irrigation should be done.

Soil – the soil pH should be 6.0-7.0 and also the soil should be fertile and well drained for maximum yield.

Altitude  - the area should be 200 above the sea level(ASL).

Temperature – onions do well in warm climates since they require a long growth period.

In  Kenya, onions do well in Mai Mahiu, Naivasha, Karatina, Email

Land preparation

The land is prepared through tilling during the dry season or before the onset of rain. Where secondary and primary tillage operations are carried out this ensures that a fine tilth is achieved.

The farmer is also advised to carry out soil testing before planting the onions to know which nutrients are missing in the soil and also to understand the soil-borne diseases or pests that are available in the soil.

Onion planting methods

planting techniques

1. Direct seeding- this is where the farmer plants the seeds directly into the field, and holes are drilled in the well-prepared land 7cm apart and 8cm within the row. Farmers are strongly advised against using this method.
2. Indirect seeding- this is where the seeds are first planted in a nursery bed and when they are a pencil thick with 3-5 leaves, they are transplanted into the main field with the ball of soil around the roots. Farmers are advised to carry out Hardening-off before transplanting and to do transplanting in the evening or during a cloudy day.

During planting or transplanting the farmer can apply DAP fertilizer or well-decomposed manure and top dress with CAN fertilizer.

Harvest timing of onions

Onions harvesting time is 4-5 months after planting.

Signs onions are ready to be harvested

1. The leaves will start to dry by turning yellow or brown.
2. The tops will be broken or bent at the neck(they will start lying on the ground.).

The bulbs are dug out or gently pulled out using the top apart(neck). You should avoid bruising the onions during harvesting to avoid storage rot. A soft brush can be used to brush off any excess soil

Post-harvest management of onions

Curing is carried out after harvesting when the farmer dries the onion by placing it under the sun for 3-6 weeks until the outer leaves are papery and the neck is dry.  The onions should not be rained on.

Poorly cured onions will result in storage rot.

After the onions are cured grading is done according to sizes and marketed in nets.

During November and May in the Kenyan market, the farmers can sell their onions at a higher price.