This archive report was first published on 24 August 2019.
Located in the northeastern part of Kenya, Mandera is renowned for producing some of the sweetest watermelons in the market. The region's fertile soils and warm weather create an ideal environment for growing these delicious fruits.
According to Ibrahim Adan Mohamed, a local farmer who has been growing melons since 2012, the yields have been good. He ventured into the farming after learning from a fellow farmer that the crop does well in the region.
‘I have been growing melons since 2012 and the yields have been good. I ventured into the farming after I learnt from a fellow farmer that the crop does well in the region,’ Mohamed notes.
One of the reasons why Mandera melons are sweeter is due to the rich minerals found in the region's soils. These minerals give the fruits a unique taste, according to Adan Alaso, an agricultural extension officer.
‘Soils in Mandera are rich in minerals that sweeten the fruits, giving them a unique taste,’ Alaso explains.
Watermelons require a minimum of six hours of sunlight a day, and Mohamed grows the Sukari F1 variety. He notes that melons are relatively cheaper to produce on the farm because the seeds are directly planted in the soil and need less water as compared to other crops.
‘When planting watermelon seeds, it is important to take into account the amount of sunlight the plant will receive as they require a minimum of six hours of sunlight a day,’ Mohamed explains.
He stops irrigation when the crop is a few weeks to maturity to avoid waterlogging and rotting of the fruits. This allows the plant to sweeten naturally.
Common diseases include leaf spot, dumping off, blight, and powdery mildew. However, diseases are not common in Mandera due to the dry weather condition, but the biggest menace is pests, which attack the fruits.
‘Diseases are not common in Mandera because of the dry weather condition but the biggest menace is pests,’ Mohamed says.
He covers mature fruits with dry grass to hide them from animals. To know whether the watermelons are ripe for harvest, Mohamed says the rind hardens.
‘When tapped, the fruit sounds as though it is hollow and may show yellow spots on the lower side that is in contact with the ground,’ Mohamed notes.
He sells the fruits mainly outside Mandera, including in Nairobi, Mombasa, and Nakuru, as locals do not buy them.
‘I sell to middlemen who come with lorries at between Sh50 and Sh150,’ Mohamed says, noting he is currently readying to harvest 20,000 fruits from his two acres.
Published on August 24, 2019.
