Growing of natural sweetener stevia takes root in Kenya

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 sweetener heaped with great health benefits is now being grown in more counties including Kericho, Nandi, Nakuru, Laikipia, Uasin Gishu, Narok, Meru and Bungoma.

Kim Martins, a pioneer farmer in Kericho, says he planted the crop on 15 acres land in 2009 after he took up the idea from Pure Circle, a company that promotes commercial farming of stevia.

“What was just a pilot project has turned into a great success. I make an average of Sh58,000 every month, which is way higher than the prices of tea that I used to rely on,” said Mr Martins who is also the manager of the Chesumot family tea estate.

He harvests five tonnes of stevia per acre every year from which he earns Sh105 per kilo. He is also contracted to supply cuttings for planting.

In December last year, Mr Martins says he supplied 200kg of cuttings to Meru farmers and 364kg to others Bungoma in partnership with Pure Circle. Each kilo has an average of 370 cuttings and costs Sh400.

“Stevia is the highest paying crop. It, however, is not for the lazy as it requires constant weeding,” he said.

Once harvested, Stevia is dried in raised, sheltered wire mesh for one week before being weighed and surrendered to Pure Circle.

The commodity is then shipped to China, where the sweetener is extracted before final processing is done in Malaysia.

Pure Circle Kenya general manager Priyanko Chatterjee says demand for the crop is growing in countries like Paraguay and Brazil where it is used to sweeten food, treat burns and stomach problems and sometimes as a contraceptive.

“Stevia is preferred since it is 200 times sweeter than sugar and has no calories or carbohydrates,” says Mr Chatterjee.

Pure Circle Company currently collects an average of 20,000 tonnes of stevia leaves monthly from more than 2000 farmers in Kenya.

“A local stevia factory may be due approximately four to five years to come, as production by then will have clocked the 10,000 metric tonnes of leaves per year as required,” he added.