Avocado Farming 101 (Kenya) – A Simple Beginner’s Guide

This guide is for someone brand‑new who wants to understand what to plant, where, how much it costs, when money comes in, and common mistakes to avoid. It pairs with the Avocado ROI Calculator (Kenya) in the other canvas so you can tweak numbers for your farm.

1) What you’re growing (in plain English)

Variety: Start with Hass (export favourite). Some farmers also mix Fuerte for pollination.
What the tree needs: Sun, deep and well‑drained soil, gentle slopes if possible, and water during dry spells (drip irrigation helps a lot).
How long until fruit: First small harvest around Year 3–4. Good money usually starts from Year 6 onward.

2) Where avocados do well in Kenya

Altitude around 1,500–2,100 m (many central & western highland counties work well).
Rainfall ~1,000 mm/year (add irrigation if your dry season is harsh).
Soil: loamy, pH 5.5–6.5, drains well (no standing water around roots).

3) How many trees per acre?

5 m × 5 m spacing ≈ 150 trees/acre (fast canopy, more pruning later).
6 m × 6 m ≈ 112 trees/acre (balanced).
7 m × 7 m ≈ ~80 trees/acre (spacious, easier to manage).
Use the calculator to compare densities. More trees ≠ better if you can’t prune and water.

4) Simple timeline (what happens when)

Year 0 – Prepare land, dig holes, add manure/compost, plant certified grafted seedlings, fence, set up water.

Years 1–2 – Care work: watering, weeding, mulching, training/pruning, pest control. No revenue yet.

Year 3–4 – First fruit. Small income. Keep caring for trees; don’t over‑harvest tiny fruit.

Year 5–6+ – Trees mature and yields stabilise. This is when the money gets good.

5) Costs & revenue (easy ranges)

Setup (one‑time, per acre)

Seedlings: KES 200–350 each × trees per acre.
Other setup (holes, manure, irrigation, fencing, tank, labour): KES 150,000–350,000 total (varies by site).

Annual running cost (per acre)

Fertiliser/manure, pruning, weeding, irrigation, basic pest control: KES 40,000–80,000.

Prices (farm‑gate)

One fruit often sells around KES 20–40.
That’s roughly KES 80–160 per kg (about 4 fruits/kg). Markets and seasons change this.

Yields (at steady state)

A practical middle‑case is ~4–6 tons per acre per year with decent management.

Rule of thumb mid‑case: 1 acre, 5.5 t/acre, at KES 100/kg = KES ~550,000 revenue per year once mature.

6) Example you can copy (mid‑case)

Spacing: 5 × 5 m ⇒ 150 trees/acre
Setup: KES 250,000 per acre
Annual opex: KES 60,000 per acre
Mature yield: 5.5 tons/acre
Price: KES 100/kg

What this means

Break‑even typically around Year 5–6.
Mature revenue ≈ KES 550,000/acre/year.
Per tree at maturity ≈ KES ~3,700–4,000/year.

Use the calculator to change any number and see how your break‑even moves.

7) Step‑by‑step to get started

Check your water (borehole, tank, river, roof harvest). Trees hate drought.
Test soil (basic pH kit or lab). If pH is off, correct with lime or organic matter before planting.
Buy certified grafted seedlings (avoid random roadside plants).
Prepare holes early (wide, with manure/compost mixed with topsoil).
Plant at the right depth (graft union above soil line). Mulch immediately.
Stake young trees (wind) and protect from livestock/goats.
Irrigate consistently for the first dry seasons; add mulch to keep moisture.
Prune lightly from Year 1 to shape a strong, open canopy.
Scout for pests/disease (scales, mites, anthracnose) and act early.
Harvest only mature fruit (oils up, size right). Immature picking kills your market.
Sell smart: learn your local packhouse schedule and peak price windows.
Reinvest in tools, pruning, and soil health each year.

8) Common mistakes (and how to avoid them)

Planting without water → set up storage/irrigation first.
Planting too dense, never pruning → crowded, diseased trees and low fruit size.
Buying cheap un‑grafted seedlings → poor yields or wrong variety.
Harvesting immature fruit → low price today and damaged reputation tomorrow.
Ignoring soil health → mulch and manure every year; living soil = healthy trees.

9) Quick starter budget (1 acre, mid‑case)

Item	Estimate
Seedlings (150 × KES 300)	KES 45,000
Other setup (fence, water, holes, manure, pipes, labour)	KES 205,000
Total setup (Year 0)	KES 250,000
Annual opex (from Year 1)	KES 60,000
Mature revenue (5.5 t @ 100/kg)	KES 550,000/yr
Indicative break‑even	~Year 5–6

These are illustrative. Use the calculator to fit your land, spacing, and prices.

10) How to use the calculator

Start with 1 acre, spacing 5×5 m (150 trees).
Set your seedling cost, other setup, and annual opex.
Choose first fruit year (3–4), maturity year (6–8), mature yield (try 4–6 t/acre), and price.
Watch Break‑even (cumulative) update. Export CSV if you want to share.

11) Mini‑glossary

Grafted seedling: A young tree made by attaching a branch of a good variety (Hass) onto strong rootstock.
Canopy: The branches and leaves; shape it so sunlight can reach inside.
Opex: Operating expenses (yearly running costs).
Break‑even: The year when money in (cumulative revenue) becomes greater than or equal to money out (cumulative cost).

Final thought

Avocados are a patient crop. Treat your trees like long‑term partners: water, mulch, prune, protect, and harvest at the right time. The returns build up year after year.