New tomato variety a real cash crop, could make growers rich

A seed company has developed a new tomato variety that is expected to improve yields in Kenya and across Africa.

The Buena Vista F1 has been released to farmers by Sakata Seed Company.

Sakata’s Angus Douglas-Hamilton said the variety does well in Loitoktok, Kajiado county, where diseases such as yellow leaf curl and spotted wilt are common.

He said it bears large, solid fruits with excellent shelf life, making it well-suited for long distance transportation.

“We are also mindful of the ongoing challenges posed by climate change. As breeders, we must develop crops that can thrive in hotter and drier regions, as well as those prone to disease outbreaks. However, breeding new varieties to meet these challenges takes 10 to 12 years,” DouglasHamilton said.

The company has launched a breeding programme focusing on tomatoes suited for East and West Africa. Trials are being conducted at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation in Kandara, Murang’a county.

More trials are planned in other parts of Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Kenya is a key tomato producer in sub-Saharan Africa, with an average annual production of 410,033 tonnes.

Projections indicate production is expected to hit 633,570 tonnes by 2026, an annual growth rate of 1.6 per cent. Beyond tomatoes, Sakata is also developing other crops that can withstand the changing climate.

One such crop is butternut squash, which has higher yields, better storage capabilities and better taste compared to the traditional malenge (pumpkin) varieties.

Douglas-Hamilton said they have also developed PowerSlam F1, a new cabbage variety tailored for the African market.

“PowerSlam F1 is a high-yielding, uniform variety with dense heads and no air gaps, making it ideal for transportation over long distances, such as from Kirinyaga to Mombasa,” he said.