Jkuat seeks share of alcoholic drinks market with watermelon wine

The trade fair, which is being held from September 23 to 29 at the Jamhuri Park Showground in Nairobi, attracted numerous visitors, many of whom were curious about watermelon and cactus wine.

George Mathenge, a food science technologist at the institution, said Jkuat began processing watermelon wine in 2006 to reduce waste and address post-harvest losses.

“If you visit most Kenyan fresh food markets, you will notice discarded fruits, some of which are still in good condition. Watermelons, in particular, are often thrown away,” said Mr Mathenge during the Agricultural Society of Kenya show.

The fruit has a short shelf life, making it highly perishable after harvesting. Unfortunately, many farmers and traders continue to face significant losses due to the lack of storage facilities and access to ready markets.

Without buyers, they are forced to discard their produce, contributing to the problem of post-harvest losses.

In 2007, Jkuat commercialised watermelon wine after receiving approval from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs). A 750 ml bottle of their watermelon wine retails for Sh1,000 and has 12 percent alcohol by volume (ABV).

While watermelon wine has been in the market for over a decade, cactus wine is still under research by Jkuat.

“Cactus is rich in zinc, a vital mineral that boosts immunity, especially in men,” explained Mr Mathenge during the 123rd Nairobi International Trade Fair, themed ‘Promoting Climate-Smart Agriculture and Trade Initiatives for Sustainable Economic Growth’.

Watermelon produces white wine, while cactus wine yields a red variant. The wine-making process for these fruits takes around 21 days.

It starts with harvesting the fruits at their peak ripeness, which can be done manually or with machines. Timing is critical to achieving the right balance of sugar and acidity.

“The watermelon or cactus should be fully ripe,” Mr Mathenge said.

The fruits are then crushed to extract their juice, a process known as must. For red wines, the fruit peels remain with the juice to add colour and tannins.

In contrast, white wines undergo pressing to separate the juice from the peels and seeds before fermentation.The fermentation process lasts one to two weeks and involves yeast converting sugar into alcohol.

During fermentation, temperature control is crucial to shaping the wine’s flavour profile.

After fermentation, the wines undergo ageing, which is typically longer for red wines. Ageing is done in stainless steel tanks or oak barrels, with the latter imparting rich flavours to the wine.

Clarification follows, where the wine is racked to remove sediment, and fining and filtration further purify the liquid. The wine may then be stabilised to prevent chemical reactions before bottling.

According to Mr Mathenge, 200 kilos of watermelon yield about 80 liters of juice, which, after processing, produces 70 litres of wine.

“The difference between the juice and the final wine is due to residues formed during processing,” he explains.

In addition to watermelon and cactus wine, Jkuat also produces wine from bananas and pineapples.

The university is also training farmers on how to process tomato and chilli sauce, as well as a variety of fruit juices, for a fee.

Similarly, the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (Kirdi), a government agency, provides training on value addition for agricultural produce.

However, the efforts are yet to bear fruit as thousands of smallholder farmers in Kenya continue to struggle with post-harvest losses.

A growing number of Kenyans have ditched maize for watermelons, hoping to reap gains from the fruits that are harvested from 80 to 100 days from sowing.

Kenyan farmers grew watermelons on 11,413 hectares of land last year, producing 489,700 metric tonnes compared to 337,500 metric tonnes the previous year, according to the latest Economic Survey.

However, during the rainy seasons, those without storage facilities lose significant amounts of their produce.

The Ministry of Agriculture estimates that 20 to 30 percent of the country’s agricultural output is lost due to post-harvest issues. Research however shows, watermelon producers and marketers experience losses that could even be higher at 40 percent, because the fruit is highly perishable.

Adopting modern technologies and innovations is crucial for boosting the sector and also increasing farmers' earnings. The agriculture sector remains vital to Kenya’s economy, accounting for approximately 20 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), however, prices of watermelons dropped by 49 percent last year, meaning that farmers took home less money. Fresh farm produce, such as fruits, can be value-added to fetch higher prices.

“Processed products not only extend the shelf life but also attract a competitive market,” says Mr Mathenge.

→ [email protected]