Nairobi — Research has concluded that the fruit is labour and skill intensive, making it ideal for smallholders who rely on their farms for their livelihood

Fruit farmers have been urged to to grow the new disease-resistant yellow variety developed by the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Kari).

Despite its popularity, there has been a decline in yield from the more purple variety due to pests and diseases to which passion fruit tree is highly susceptible, said Agriculture Permanent Secretary Dr Romano Kiome. He was presiding over the launch of the first yellow passion seedlings production facility based at the Horticulture Research Centre, in Thika recently.

The Kari passion fruit project is supported by the USAid-funded Kenya Horticulture Development Programme (KHDP). Its head is Dr Steve New.

Currently, 424 hectares are under passion fruit production according to the Horticultural Crops Development Authority (HCDA).

USAid chose the passion fruit because it is smallholder-friendly, and therefore has the potential to alleviate rural poverty.

According to research conducted by the programme, the fruit has a high potential of growing rapidly over the next five years given the demand created by its various uses - juice, cosmetics and animal feed.

The research also concluded that the fruit guaranteed higher returns per unit area, is labour and skill intensive, making it ideal for smallholders, majority of whom rely on their farms for livelihood.

The fruit is also easily intercropped with other seasonal or permanent crops such as maize and coffee.

Dr Kiome said that Kenya's export potential for tropical fruits in overseas markets remains largely unexploited.

The Kenyan passion fruit, he added, has entrenched itself in the regional market with Ugandan traders flooding markets such as Karatina in Central Kenya to purchase the fruits to supply Kampala, Tanzania and Rwanda and Burundi. Kenya produces about 32 million kilogrammes of passion fruits per year but only 5 per cent is exported, fetching Ksh886 million ($12.3 million) going by 2005 statistics from the Horticultural Crops Development Authority (HCDA).

The UK buys 50 per cent of the country's fruits followed by Holland at 20 per cent and France at 15 per cent respectively. Dr New said demand for both purple and yellow passion has grown.

The fruit's seeds are highly prized in the cosmetics industry for its oil. The shell, has recently become a recipe in the manufacture of cattlefeed. "Everything about the passion fruit is potentially profitable," said Dr Newman.

KHDP seeks to increase 35,000 smallholder incomes by $26 million and expand local and export sales by $50 million over the next four years. The passion fruit project is expected to play a major role in this growth.

The new variety, according to Dr New, has been tested and found suitable for growing from the coast to the highlands. The project has developed 40 different varieties for the diverse geographical locations countrywide. All provincial agricultural officers have received the new passion fruit production manual for introduction in their respective provinces.

To help smallholders get easy access to overseas markets stringent market requirements. KHDP has introduced a smallholder training package for compliance with EU market regulations and entered into a working relationship with selected exporters who would purchase farm produce at agreed prices.

Dr New said that getting tech-nology to the growers has remained a major constraint. The programme is hoping to overcome this by working in conjunction with institutions such as Kari and the Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya.

The umbrella body of exporters who get 60 per cent of export produce from smallholders.

This year, the programme is hoping to seek partnerships that would lead to the establishment of commercial nurseries as well as support farmers to establish on-farm nurseries.

It also hopes to set up demonstration plots within the growing areas to take technology close to the smallholders. Kenya's fruit is expected to be the next big thing after the over-exploited fresh flower and vegetable sectors.