Tuesday, 29 October 2019

tomatoes value addition


Image may contain: foodTomato Value Added Products are as Follows:

1) Tomato Puree

2) Tomato Juice

3) Mixtures of Vegetable Juice

4) Tomato Ketchup

5) Tomato Jam

6) Tomato Powder
Image may contain: 1 person, food
No photo description available.
7) Tomato Sauce

8) Tomato Pickle

9) Tomato Chutney

10) Tomato Ketchup

11) Tomato Soup

12) Tomato Paste etc.
Tomato Pickles and Chutney-
Tomato pickle and chutney are appetizing and go very well with the meals and snacks.
Tomato pickle and chutney are preserved with salt, oil, spices and vinegar (acetic acid).
Sometimes sodium benzoate as a chemical preservative may be added for better.
Tomato sauce is also the concentrated product made from tomato protection during frequent use.
Tomato pickle is typically used in South Indian cuisine with plain rice.
Chutney is a relish or salsa with a sweet and tangy taste.
Tomato chutney is commonly used in Indian cuisine.
Tomato Juice-
Fully ripe well developed colour tomatoes are washed, trimmed, steamed, crushed in a crusher or cut into pieces with knives.
The crushed pieces are heated in the steam jacketed kettle till they become quite soften.
The heated tomatoes are passed through the pulping machine using a fine mesh sieve to separate juice from seeds and the skin.
The sugar and salt @ 1% is added and heated to 85-90ÂșC.
The hot juice is then filled in bottles, sealed immediately and processed sterilised in boiling water for about 30 minutes and cooled.
Tomato Puree-
The juice obtained as above is concentrated under vacuum to about 9% to 12% total solids so as to get tomato puree.
The product is filled in bottles, crown corked and processed in boiling water for 30 min. and cooled.
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Tomato Ketchup-
The juice obtained as above is concentrated with spices, salt, sugar, etc.
The spices like cloves, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon and other ingredients etc. are tied loosely in a muslin cloth and placed in boiling juice in steam Jacketed Kettle.
The sugar, salt and vinegar or acetic acid, etc. are added later on.
Generally concentration is done threefold. It is concentrated to 28 to 30% solids in which 12% are tomato solids.

The final product could be preserved by addition of sodium benzoate @ 750 ppm.

The tomato ketchup is filled hot into clean, dry bottles, crown corked and processed in boiling water for 30 minutes and cooled at room temperature.

Monday, 2 September 2019

RAINGUNS SPRINKLERS JETS


     THESE SPRINKLERS ARE MADE IN TURKEY 
ATOM 42  USD 350 KSH 35,000 TSH 744,000 UGX 1,296,000
No photo description available.

ATOM 40 USD 300 KSH 30,000  TSH 638000 UGX 1,120,000No photo description available.

ATOM 35 USD 150 KSH 15000 TSH 319,000 UGX 556,000Image may contain: text

ATOM 28 USD 150 KSH 15000 TSH 319,000 UGX 556,000No photo description available.

B30 USD 130 KSH 13000 TSH 277,000 UGX 482,000No photo description available.

ATOM 22 USD 80 KSH 8,000 TSH 170,000  UGX  297,000No photo description available.

ATOM 15 LA USD 20 KSH 2000 TSH 42,500 UGX 74,000Image may contain: text

ATOM 15 PC LF  USD 20 KSH 2000 TSH 42,500 UGX 74,000Image may contain: text 

USD 20 KSH 2000 TSH 42,500 UGX 74,000Image may contain: text

ATOM 15 PC  USD 20 KSH 2000 TSH 42,500 UGX 74,000No photo description available.

ATOM 15 FC  USD 20 KSH 2000 TSH 42,500 UGX 74,000No photo description available.

JET 3O USD 300 KSH 30,000  TSH 638000 UGX 1,120,000No photo description available.

USD 300 KSH 30,000  TSH 638000 UGX 1,120,000No photo description available.

JET 40 USD 400 KSH 40,000 TSH 840,000 UGX 1,480,000Image may contain: text

JET 50 USD 450 KSH 45000 TSH 956,000  UGX 1,665,000Image may contain: text

JET 55 USD 500 KSH 50,000 TSH 1,062,000  UGX 1,850,000 Image may contain: text

JET 65 USD 550 KSH 55,000 TSH 1,210,000 UGX 2,035,000No photo description available.

JET 70 USD 650 KSH 65000 TSH 1,430,000 UGX 2,405,000 No photo description available.


Wednesday, 19 December 2018

Avocado blunder to farmers


Avocado was a promising venture to most farmers in kenya and africa. but the venture may be viable for only a short while. most companies target EU market and has been the major importer of most african,mexican and peru avocados. this year there was an increase in supply and prices  reached levels which has never been before (https://www.freshplaza.com/article/9018652/avocado-prices-recovering-again/) and most exporters stopped exporting the fruit because the retail price in EU markets was the FOB price in kenya. this makes it impossible to export the product.
In kenya all counties and politicians are using avocados as a political tool putting more millions into the venture without any sustainable market. All are giving the common old tale of "value addition" yet they have no plans or even any idea of avocado value addition and market demands or viability. their  tenure will be done when the fruits are ready so they will not have any blame to the failure of farmers to sell the crop.
Non profit organisations are also using the same avocado wind to solicit funds on the hope that the future of avocado is millions of money.
Every one wants to reap on this wind and people are doing their math that many people need hass/fuerte seedlings and so many uncertified nurseries are everywhere, hass was ksh 250 per seedling. Many people are now producing the seedlings which are substandard and with time everyone will be    producing and no where to sell the graph is already closer there and the price of hass is now ksh 80 or less with time it will reach a point where you will be given for free.
 All these methods will lead to production of a lot of avocados and business principles are clear the EU market is no longer a market to depend on(french beans,chili,herbs and flower farmers are crying)  https://www.nation.co.ke/business/Boom-for-Kenyan-avocado-farmers/996-4666686-cur4dt/index.html  so there will be a lot of supply and with alot of supply than demand, price will go down. kenya is already over producing avocados for its population the local avocados are rotting in the villages the old tale of value addition has not worked and hass value addition tale might not work as well. history speaks for its self. and kenyans at any point will not be able to eat all the hass avocaods and the kienyeji avocaods.
 The hopes that there are new emerging markets like china and south africa. Does not  give hope to the local farmers but to the exporters who will be enjoying from the over supply so they fix the price on how they want. Thats the time when you will sell 10 avocados for ksh 5 or they rot in your farm because your neighbour is willing to sell 20 avocados for the same. mango farmers can attest to this kind of market forces. after they were told to plant mangoes during moi era to this era its only one small value addition factory  in the entire eastern region.
Every business or venture must go through a gradual natural process and not a boom if avocado had not been used as a political stepping stone its future was great.but there is still hopes to the farmers if only they work in groups and process the fruits in the own or export directly to maximize the profits and forget involving political interests in the sector.
for more information
contact nicklykipkorir@gmail.com 


Friday, 9 February 2018

Floppy Sprinkler


“Floppy Sprinkler has developed very efficient sprinkler irrigation technology. This water saving and energy efficient technology is used in sustainable food production in the agricultural industry. International large scale irrigation projects are using this technology.”

Features and Specifications:

  • Revolutionary new concept sprinkler having no rotating or moving parts.
  • Unique full circle spraying pattern prevents dry patches.
  • No moving parts, so maintenance free.
  • Pop up feature pops silicon tube under pressure to irrigate and pops down at shut off.
  • Light weight enables to install floppy sprinkler on heights using aluminum risers.
  • Built-in flow regulator provides uniform discharge against pressure fluctuations in hilly/undulating terrain and allows longer lateral length in flat & moderate slopes.
  • Large droplet size minimizes wind drift and evaporation losses giving high application efficiency.
  • Operating pressure range 2-6 kg/cm² (28-85 psi).

Applications:

  • Ideally suitable for irrigation of closely spaced crops like sugarcane, vegetables, oil seeds, onions, potato, fodder, cereals, etc.
  • Suitable for landscape and turf irrigation.
  • Recommended for irrigation in irregular / undulating terrain and hilly areas.

Performance Chart:


CodeColourInlet ConnectionsDischarge at 2 to 6Kg/cm²
(28 to 85 psi) pressure
Wetting
Radius
SpacingPrecipitation
inchlphgphmftmftmm/hrinch/hr
DFSBLBlue½" BSP30079.45.819.04.5 x 6.014.8 x 19.711.10.44
4.5 x 7.514.8 x 24.68.90.35
6.0 x 6.019.7 x 19.78.30.33
6.0 x 7.519.7 x 24.66.70.26
DFSGNGreen¾" BSP500132.37.324.07.5 x 7.524.8 x 24.86.00.31
7.5 x 9.024.8 x 29.56.70.26
7.5 x 1224.8 x 39.45.00.20
9.0 x 9.029.5 x 29.55.60.22
DFSBKBlack¾" BSP750198.47.825.67.5 x 7.524.8 x 24.813.30.52
7.5 x 9.024.8 x 29.511.10.44
7.5 x 1224.8 x 39.48.30.33
9.0 x 1229.5 x 39.49.30.37
DFSYLYellow¾" BSP950251.37.825.67.5 x 7.524.8 x 24.817.10.67
7.5 x 9.024.8 x 29.514.20.56
9.0 x 9.029.5 x 29.511.90.47
12 x 1239.4 x 39.46.70.26

to order talk to www.lagrangroup.com +254729379092 

Saturday, 16 December 2017

Crop and Livestock Insurance

  • 1. Agriculture and the economy.

    Crop and livestock constitute one of the  most important economic activities carried out in Kenya. Crop and livestock farming combined earn Kenya large   foreign   exchange   reserves   and,   more importantly, guarantee food security. The two sectors are one of the largest contributors to Kenya's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at 22%.
  • 2. Challenges faced by farmers in Kenya.

    Crop and livestock farming in Kenya are exposed to many challenges which make it difficult for a farmer to realize their expected harvest.  Some of the challenges including the need to plant the right seeds at the right time and place and using the
    correct type of fertilizer can be managed through good crop and livestock husbandry.
    However, others such as changes in weather patterns, excessive rainfall and drought, earthquakes, diseases, damage by wild animals, malicious damage, pests, death of animals etc are beyond the control of farmers.
  • 3. Why buy livestock insurance?

    Livestock insurance is insurance for domesticated animals such as cows, poultry, sheep, goats, pigs, horses etc. These animals can suffer or die from drought, diseases, accidents and other misfortunes
    such as epidemic, theft, fire, lightning, windstorm and floods.
    On the other hand, Crop insurance covers food produces e.g. wheat, barley, sugarcane, maize, rice etc. Crop and livestock insurance compensate farmers against uncertainties of animal and crop yields arising out the above risks. This is a sure way of giving the farmer confidence   in   making   additional investments in agriculture.
    Livestock insurance is insurance for domesticated animals such as cows, poultry, sheep, goats, pigs, horses etc. These animals can suffer or die from drought, diseases, accidents and other misfortunes
    such as epidemic, theft, fire, lightning, windstorm and floods.
    On the other hand, Crop insurance covers food produces e.g. wheat, barley, sugarcane, maize, rice etc. Crop and livestock insurance compensate farmers against uncertainties of animal and crop yields arising out the above risks. This is a sure way of giving the farmer confidence   in   making   additional investments in agriculture.
  • 4. How crop insurance works.

    There are two approaches to crop and livestock insurance;
    (1)  The insurance company agreeing with the farmer on the expected crop yield per acre for the crop being insured. The amount to be insured will depend on the average crop yield in the area concerned. If at harvest time, the farmer gets less than an agreed percentage of the agreed yield, the insurance company pays for the difference. This way the farmer is assured of some return even when there is crop failure;
    (2)  The insurance company insures the farmer against any damage that may arise out of specific perils e.g. drought, floods, disease, fire etc. The farmer must report such damage to the insurance company which will then proceed to assess the extent of loss and arrange to pay the farmer accordingly.
  • 5. How livestock insurance works.

    Livestock insurance is provided against death, theft or sickness of animals as a result of an insured peril. The perils include emergency slaughter on health grounds or on advice of qualified veterinary experts. Other perils include epidemics, fire and lightening. Cover may also be extended to include loss due to transit risks.
    Livestock insurance cover includes dairy, beef, poultry, sheep, goats, pigs and horses. The poultry insurance scheme covers, layers, broilers, turkey and ducks among others.  Livestock insurance provides cover against death of animals arising from sickness, epidemics and accidents.
  • 6. Agricultural insurance and availability of credit to farmers.

    In many instances, farmers do require credit from financial institutions so as to be able to buy farm input such as seeds, fertilizers, chemicals and farm implements among others. Farmers also need to buy chemicals, drugs, construction materials and the like. Financial institutions however, are not willing to avail credit to farmers unless they are assured that the farmer will be able to pay back the money even in the event of poor returns. Availability of insurance protection enhances loan repayment as the farmer is assured of repaying the credit using the amount paid in by the insurance company. Arrangements could also be made for the claim proceeds to be paid directly to the financial institution that extended credit to clear the outstanding amounts.

AGRICULTURAL INSURANCE IN KENYA

 What is Agriculture Insurance?
Agriculture insurance is the protection which farmers buy from insurance companies for their crops and livestock. Farmers pay small amount of money (premium) to insurance companies to compensate them when they incur losses.
Who are the current agriculture insurers?
The following companies provide insurance covers for various agriculture risks:
1. APA Insurance Company
2. CIC General Insurance Company
3. Kenya Orient Insurance Company
4. ICEA LION General Insurance Company
5. UAP General Insurance Company
6. Jubilee Insurance Company
7. Heritage Insurance Company
8. Madison Insurance Company
9. African Merchant Assurance Co. ltd.
Insurance Products.
Some of the insurance products available in the Kenyan market include the following-:
 Crops :
Cover is available for all types of crops, whether rain-fed or irrigated. The following types of crops are covered:
  • Annuals e.g. wheat, barley, maize, sorghum, rice
  • Perennials e.g. tea, coffee, sugarcane
  • Horticulture, e.g. snow peas, French beans, tomatoes,
  • Floriculture- e.g. roses and carnations
  • Forestry e.g. eucalyptus, pine, cypress stands
  • Tree crops e.g. avocados, macadamia
  • Greenhouses i.e., steel/wood structures and plastic cladding

For rain-fed farming, a multiperil insurance is provided which covers either the input costs or value of expected yields as a result of the following perils:

Perils Covered
  • » Fire
  • » Windstrom
  • » Excessive rainfall
  • » Uncontollable pests and diseases
  • » Drought except under irrigation farming
  • » Hail
PREMIUM RATES OR THE COST OF INSURING CROPS
PREMIUM RATES 

  • These will vary depending on the type of crop. Annuals and perennials will attract around 5% of the value of insured crop
  • For greenhouse production, crops attract around 1% of their value, while other components of the greenhouse will attract different rates. The final premium will be a summation of the various components
  • Crop premiums are seasonal, and insurance ends when the crop is harvested
  • Cover given on a Yield Guarantee basis, up to 65% of the LTAY
  • Crop Inspections
  • Once insured, insurer’s agronomists will carry out several inspections to monitor the growth of the crop. Effects of the perils insured on the crop will be noted and recorded. The inspection reports are as follows:
  • Emergence Report- will confirm the level of insurance based on germination percentage of the crop
  • Mid-Season Report-will monitor the growth of the crop and capture any variable e.g. drought, nutrient deficiency, weeds, pests and diseases
  • Pre-harvest Report-will estimate the expected yields


Livestock:
  • Cattle ( Dairy and Beef )
  • Shoats - Sheeps and goats
  • Poultry (Layers and Broilers)
  • Pigs
  • Horses
  • Pets - Dogs
  • Fish
  • Perils Covered
  • » Mortality due to :
    • Accidents
    • Diseases
    • Complications during delivery
    • Emergency slaughter on medical grounds
    • Fire, Smoke, Lighting
  • » Theft



















PREMIUM RATES OR THE COST OF INSURING LIVESTOCK


  • These are dependent on the type of livestock, numbers, rearing method and experience of the proposer.
  • The standard rate is 4% of the value of animals which can go up or down this rate depending on the parameters given above
  • Livestock cover is annual hence premiums are paid once in a year

Greenhouse :
  • Plastic cladding and steel structure
  • Growing crop
  • Yield in Transit
  • Machinery breakdown
  • Deterioration of stock
  • Irrigation Equipment
  • Other assests related to greenhouse production
  • Perils Covered
  • » Fire and fire fighting
  • » Theft and/ or loss during fire, fire fighting or salvaging.
  • » Lighting
  • » Impact damage
  • » Plane Crash
  • » Theft after burglary
  • » Damage during burglary or attempt thereto
  • » Water from reservoirs and / or water tanks
  • » Excessive rain
  • » Storm (Including Hail or weight of snow)
  • » Salvage costs
















Forestry :
  1. Perils Covered
  • » Fire
  • » Lightning
  • » Explosion
  • » Windstorm
  • Optional Additional Covers
  • Flood and / or inundation
  • Malicious Damage
  • Subsidence and landslide
  • Damage by wild animals
  • Riot strike and civial commotion
  • Aircraft and other aerial devices and / or articles dropped there from
IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION EMAIL ME  nicklykipkorir@gmail.com or call/whatsapp +254729379092 

Wednesday, 16 August 2017

Tips to grow your business in it’s first year

Growth is key to the survival of your business. It’s even more crucial to profit making.
Through careful strategic planning, quality marketing campaigns and a healthy combination of the steps outlined below, conversions are likely to increase steadily.

1. Carefully target the online audience

Online marketing is all about targeting. For online commerce to thrive, your desired customers must be able to find you.
Credit: Interex
By properly defining the psychographics of your target audience/customers, (people who will benefit from relevant products and services), you’ll be able to harness the relevant tools to connect with and convert these customers.

2. Create high-quality content

High-quality content is described as relevant and engaging information that encourages site visitors to return in the future.
Credit: My Blogger Lab
Content should reflect the given brand in tone and style, fulfilling the company’s mission statement, and informing the reader of the brands services. It should also offer industry education and urge interaction with consumers. As if that’s not enough, your content will also be judged by more than just consumers. They’re also judged by search engines, which play a major role in bestowing credibility and visibility.
Phew! Sounds like a lot for your content to achieve but with lots of practice and research, you should be able to churn out such content. Not only that, the trick is to produce such high-quality content frequently and consistently.

3. Speedy website experience

To maintain credibility, speedy website load times are essential for delivering a positive user experience, maximizing sales conversions and optimizing from an SEO (search engine optimization) perspective.
For Internet-based businesses, website speed, security, and infrastructure are important foundations of not only logistics but also SEO.
These aspects of online business translate to better search engine visibility, resulting in more traffic, leads, brand credibility and sales. Speeding up your website is crucial for online logistics.

4. Personalize your content

Visitors know that unique, individualized web experiences are possible, which is why they expect such features. Take advantage of available technology that can generate shopping selections based on personal preferences.
While some of the larger websites (Google, Apple, Facebook, etc.) have apps built into their system that identifies users and track their online movements, small businesses might focus on smaller CRM solutions.

5. Invest in mobile capabilities

Consumer use of mobile devices is greater than ever before, which is why a robust mobile e-commerce platform is crucial. Available solutions include mobile sites, responsive sites, apps, click-to-call tools, maps and real-time notifications.

6. Integrate sales channels

Enable consumers experience the brand similarly across all channels of interaction and methods of shopping. Promotions, products, services, company information, and policies should be available both on and offline.

7. Consider subscription

Subscription commerce occurs in various forms. For instance, the replenishment model allows for a product to be sent to a customer every month or regular basis.
Credit: How to start a social network
The discovery model provides for new and exciting experiences with each login (e.g. Netflix, IrokoTV). It’s up to the company to decide which form of subscription works best for them and to implement that into their sales and marketing strategies.
Most CRM software and programs organize consumer data that can be used to delineate and track which model each customer prefers and whether the customer has subscribed or not.

8. Skip the middlemen

Thanks to the Internet, small businesses can reach consumers quickly and easily. Also, manufacturers are increasingly eager to work directly with small businesses because they realize small brands are likely to bring new and innovative products to the marketplace — they are less limited by minimal shelf space and complex supply chains.

9. Sell Internet-only merchandise

Although essential to maintain continuity across multiple sales channels, it is still possible to offer products via the Internet only. Doing so builds an exclusive brand with e-commerce as the core distribution channel. By offering certain products in only one area, it is possible to maintain greater control over margins.

10. Focus on storytelling, not product features

Without a good brand story, your product holds no inherent or emotional value for your customers. Humans are hardwired to respond to stories. When a brand makes a deep impression on us, it impacts our buying behaviour.
A 2013 Psychology Today piece showed that, when evaluating multiple brands, “Consumers primarily use emotions (personal feelings and experiences) rather than information (brand attributes, features, and facts).”
It’s about building a human connection with your customer, not touting the bells and whistles of your product.
Keep in mind that a good story needs to be backed up by an excellent product. Even the most talented creatives can’t change the perception of a poor product.

11. Be customer-centric on social

Focus on networks that are relevant to your target audience and start getting social. No matter how big or small your company is, a huge portion of consumers expect to contact your brand on social.

See this exchange between Virgin Mobile and a customer:
Good customer service on social is directly linked to business growth. A report by Aberdeen Group finds that businesses with social customer service experience around 7.5 percent year-over-year growth (compared to 2.9 percent without social customer service), so don’t underestimate its value.

12. Focus aggressively on sales

If you’re an established business you should spend at least 30% of your day on the sales process or connecting with customers.
Sales should be the absolute center of what your company does, every single day. Ignore it at your peril. As the founder of IBM, Thomas Watson once remarked, “Nothing happens until somebody sells something.”
If you’re not happy with how fast your business is growing, this is the area you should focus on, first, second and third. Get out there and ask more people for money. It may sound crude, but ultimately an obsession with sales is at the heart of all sustained business growth.
All great companies are great at sales: Oracle. McKinsey. IBM. Nordstrom. Even Herbalife. They grew huge not just because of the quality product line (the world is filled with companies with great products that are struggling to survive) but their utter commitment to selling it better than their competitors.  And getting out there and asking people for their business.

13. Prepare new salespeople quickly

Growth won’t happen for a company with a sales team that isn’t able to do its job. Typically, just 2 percent of sales go through on a first meeting. But salespeople need to be able to establish trust quickly to change that figure. To finesse the requisite skill set, they need the right training.
Every team is different, so even if salespeople with years of experience join a new team, they need to be brought up to speed on the new company’s processes.
So get them out there. Train your new salespeople; then set them loose to do their jobs.

14. Hire the right people

Before you can even think about your company’s growth trajectory, you need to ensure that you have a solid staff that can help you achieve it. With a small business looking to grow, it’s important to have the right players at the table. They need to be people who aren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves. The words ‘That’s not my job,’ do not exist in their vocabulary. They have to be dedicated to the mission.
Also Read  Strategic elements of a robust product launch strategy
Hiring the absolute best people you can is a surefire way to ensure fast growth, it’s all about having the right team.

15. Focus on established revenue sources

Rather than trying to acquire new customers, direct your attention to the core customers you already have. You can do this by implementing a referral or customer loyalty program, or trying out marketing strategies based on previous purchase behaviors to encourage repeat business.
This focus on your established market is especially important if you’re trying to get funding.

16. Focus on your customer experience

Customers’ perceptions of your business can really make or break a business. Deliver quality experiences and products, and they’ll quickly sing your praises on social media; mess it up, and they’ll tell the world even faster. Fast growth depends on making your current and potential customers happy with their experience.
Compared with large companies, small businesses are nimble, and often better able to see, anticipate and respond to their customers’ needs. The most successful small businesses exploit this advantage, by bringing new and innovative products and services to market more quickly and developing and nurturing long-term customer relationships.
Listening to your customers and giving them what they want is of utmost importance. Diversify your offerings so you can best cater to the customers’ changing tastes. Remember, you are here to serve the customer — it’s why you are open for business.
Engaging with your audience is crucial, but personalizing the experience can boost and strengthen that relationship.

17. Ask for referrals

One of the easiest ways to get new customers is to ask your current customers for referrals. But notice the verb.
Having good products and great customer service and just assuming that your customers are passing the word about your business isn’t going to do much to increase your customer base; you have to actively seek referrals. During or after every job or sale, ask your satisfied customer if he knows anyone else who would be interested in your products or services.

18. Fine tune your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

If you are still competing with other businesses, then your USP needs work. Create a USP that makes your business the clear and only choice for your customers.
The actions you take will have a resounding effect on the growth of your business. Don’t wait, pick one of the listed tips and start today!

SOURCE http://www.thestarta.com/articles/starting/18-brilliant-tips-grow-business-first-year/