KENYA · GUIDE 0006 · EDITION 4.2
Spring Onion Farming Costs in Kenya: Trial Budget
Start with the buyer’s accepted unit
Budget the actual sale: a trimmed bunch with an agreed stalk count or weight, root treatment and length. A price for untrimmed harvested onions is not automatically the cost of an accepted retail bunch. This page does not establish a verified per-acre cost, crop yield or profit.
Obtain the quantities and terms first
| Cost area | Evidence to collect |
|---|---|
| Planting material | Named crop and source, pack quantity, lot details and local suitability advice |
| Plot | Trial area, access period, preparation and field records |
| Water | Source access, compatible equipment, operation and applicable approval checks |
| Harvest | Time to lift the planned section and keep lots identifiable |
| Preparation | Root trimming, soil removal, rejected outer leaves and bunch alignment |
| Packaging | Reference bunch, ties, suitable containers and buyer display requirements |
| Route | Dispatch, receiving time, transport, returns and payment collection |
Ask the buyer whether roots are included, trimmed or absent. The answer changes the work and the amount sold. Record the time and material removed during a controlled trial instead of assuming every lifted plant becomes a saleable stalk. Seek competent local advice on the actual crop and safe handling process.
Separate cash needs from operating expenses
List one-time equipment and any deposit, recurring planting and route expenses, and the working cash required until the buyer pays. A refundable deposit uses cash without automatically being the same period's expense. Avoid charging the full purchase of a tool twice when allocating its use in a later cost calculation.
Get written quotes with the same variant, quantity, destination, delivery and payment terms. A seed quote by packet weight does not establish a number of accepted bunches. Check the actual water source and proposed works with the responsible authority where applicable; a cost sheet cannot grant water-use rights.
Reconcile display losses and the return trip
Measure lifted weight, prepared bunches, accepted delivery, returned or unsold bunches and cash collected. Inconsistent trimming may make bunches look unequal even when weights are similar; record the buyer's actual response before increasing output. Include a return journey if the agreement requires collection of containers or unsold stock.
Set an affordable pilot limit and leave unsupported numbers unknown. The sources listed are enquiry routes, not local price verification or a guaranteed return.