This article focuses on yellow beans farming in Kenya. Yellow beans farming is a very profitable agribusiness venture. They are the most consumed beans in Kenya with a readily available market.
Yellow Beans Growing Areas In Kenya
Yellow beans grow well in areas such as;
- Western.
- Rift Valley.
- Eastern.
- Central.
- Nyanza.
Ecological Requirements
- Well-drained sandy-loam soils rich in organic matter.
- Warm climatic conditions.
- Well distributed rainfall throughout the year.
- Soil pH of 6.5- 7.5.
Varieties of Yellow Beans Grown in Kenya
(i). Pole yellow beans
- Yellow roman.
- Marvel of Venice.
- Gold nectar.
- Kentucky wonder.
- Monte gusto.
(ii). Bush yellow beans
- Brittle wax bush snap bean.
- Pencil pod black wax bean.
- Golden butter wax bush snap bean.
- Goldrush bush snap bean.
Land Preparation
Land should be thoroughly ploughed early enough before planting. It should be furrowed to a fine tilth. Ensure you do proper weeding to avoid competition for necessary nutrients.
After ploughing, you can apply well decomposed farmyard manure to improve soil fertility and structure.
Planting
Propagation of yellow beans is by seeds. Disease-free and certified seeds are recommended. You can obtain the seeds from any of the top seed companies in the country.
The best planting space is 30cm by 30cm and a depth of 1-2 inches. With this spacing, an acre of land requires about 20-30 kgs of seeds.
After about two- three weeks of planting, top dress your crops with DAP or NPK.
Pests and Diseases
Common diseases that attack yellow beans include downy mildew, bean rust, anthracnose, bacterial blight and fusarium wilt. Pests include aphids, cutworms, thrips, bean fly and pod borers.
The pests and diseases can be controlled using insecticides and pesticides such as lexus, ransom, absolute… etc.
Harvesting
Yellow beans mature after about 60-70 days depending on the variety. Harvesting is done manually when the pods are dry.
The Market for Yellow Beans in Kenya
Yellow beans are one of the most consumed beans in Kenya. They have a ready market and fetch good prices in local open-air markets, cereal stores, supermarkets and groceries.
