The no-calorie, natural sweetener is now being grown in more counties including Laikipia, Uasin Gishu, Meru, Narok, Meru and Bungoma.
PureCircle Company that is training farmers on commercial stevia growing in the country is targeting Kericho, Nakuru, Bomet and Nandi counties and has already recruited over 2,000 farmers.
Stevia, a natural sweetener, is creating opportunities for more farmers in Kenya and opening export markets in China, Malaysia, Paraguay and Brazil.
The no-calorie, natural sweetener is now being grown in more counties including Laikipia, Uasin Gishu, Meru, Narok, Meru and Bungoma.
PureCircle Company that is training farmers on commercial stevia growing in the country is targeting Kericho, Nakuru, Bomet and Nandi counties and has already recruited over 2,000 farmers.
The PureCircle general manager Priyanko Chatterjee said the training programme started five years ago. A stevia farmer, Kim Martins said he has made a fortune from his 15 acres land in Chesumot and is now contracted to supply cuttings to new regions.
“What was just a pilot project has turned into a success. I harvest five tonnes per acre every year, of which I earn Sh105 per kilo which is way higher than what I used to get from tea,” he said.
In December last year, Mr Martins says he supplied 200 kg of cuttings to Meru farmers and 364 kg to others Bungoma in partnership with Pure Circle. “Stevia is the highest paying crop. It, however, is not for the lazy as it requires constant weeding,” he said.
Mr Chatterjee said the company collects an average of 20,000 tonnes of stevia leaves monthly, which are transported to Mombasa port for shipping to China.
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