One morning, my grandfather woke up and decided to plant trees on 80 % of his land, leaving only a small portion for other agriculture activities. I was shocked beyond words, but I couldn’t ask him why he did so because I was young to know the benefits of engaging in tree planting.
I remember very well it was in 2007 when it rained heavily to give him a chance to plant trees almost the entire land. I actually thought he wanted to starve us to death considering the number of people he was feeding in that home.
In 2012, Kenya Power had a project of connecting electricity to rural homes. They desperately wanted to have over 100,000 posts for electricity connections. I remember vividly when they approached my grandfather for the deal. It never took long before they reached agreement.
The following morning I was among the few lucky grand children who managed to see the cheque he received from Kenya Power: Sh 10,000,000.If you think I am joking, go and ask anyone who is practicing tree farming business.
My grandfather retired peacefully and is surviving with what he gets from his trees.
What I can reveal to you is that tree planting business is booming in Kenya, you can’t go wrong with this unique type of farming. Interestingly, you don’t have to plant them in the middle of your shamba, even the fence is enough.
Cost of purchasing trees in Kenya
A single tree for planting ranges from Sh5 to Sh 25, depending on the type of tree. Blue gums and cypress are the most preferred. Blue gums always mature fast as compared to other types of trees; they are also good for timber.
Areas where tree planting is most ideal
The best areas to plant trees include Kisii, the entire Rift Valley, Western Kenya, Central Kenya, and parts of Eastern Kenya. These areas receive plenty of rain which facilitates faster growth of trees.
Tree planting profits
Once you have planted your trees, you must wait for at least 3 years to start earning handsome cash from the trees. From my past experience, a single tree can generate Ksh15, 000 profits. This is a tree which is 5 years old. Assuming that you planted trees on a one acre piece of land, which normally accommodates 1,000 trees, you will rake in over Ksh10 million in profits.
The beauty of planting trees is that they don’t require much labour as compared to other cash crops. You only ensure that things like cows don’t get near when the trees are still small.
The following are profits you can get from trees at each age
Tree at age three=Ksh 3,000-Ksh 5,000
Tree at age five=Ksh 6,000-Ksh 10,000
Tree above age five=Ksh 10,000 and above
Who will buy your trees
There are so many people who sell timber,they will come for your trees.You can also sell to individuals doing constructions or to industries which manufacture papers.
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