KENYA – Investment firm Centum’s wholly-owned agriculture subsidiary Greenblade Growers has signed up 250 farmers in Nyandarua, Kenya in an outgrower programme targeting six tonnes of herbs and vegetables in daily production.

Business Daily has reported that the scheme involves operationalization of 15 acres of greenhouse and a pack house with the said daily capacity

“The business also partnered with approximately 250 small scale farmers on an out-grower model to supply vegetables such as sugar snaps, snow peas, fine beans, runner beans and baby corn.

In addition, we acquired six export clients spurring revenue growth,” said the company in its 2018 annual report.

In line with the project, the East African investment company has also made significant capital investments which includes the construction and completion of production infrastructure works and the construction of 58,000 cubic meter capacity water reservoir.

According to the company, the venture targets the European Union market mainly the Netherlands and the United Kingdom and will concentrate on growing exotic herbs that are popular with buyers in Europe.

Apart from dealing with the commodities from outgrower farmers, Centum plans to produce coriander, parsley, dill, chives, tarragon, lemongrass, mint and rosemary.

Plans to diversify

The investment company diversified into agribusiness with 120 acre Nyandarua farm which exotic herbs and vegetables for export.

Centum said it was developing the site, with some of the infrastructure including a 1,296 square metre pack house which will be used for value addition with a capacity to process 10 tonnes of fresh produce per day.

“In the current financial year, key focus is to increase production volume by increasing the area under production and recruiting more out-growers, on boarding more export and domestic clients,” added the firm.

As part of its overall diversification and growth strategy, the company is looking to expand its investment in the agricultural sector through the acquisition of larger tracts of land, diversification into further agricultural products, and development of end-to-end value chain infrastructure.