KALRO records increasing cocoa seedling sales in Kenya  

KENYA -The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) has reported a 158 percent increase in cocoa seedling sales over the last three years, as more Kenyans show interest in cultivating cocoa and building a local chocolate industry.  

Data from KALRO’s Mtwapa branch revealed that seedling sales grew from 650 between July 2021 and June 2022 to 1,145 between July 2022 and June 2023.  

This number further surged by 46.4 percent to 1,676 seedlings from July 2023 to June 2024. 

The demand for cocoa seedlings, specifically the Criollo and Forastero varieties, has been largely driven by individual curiosity, according to Lucky, who manages the tree nursery at KALRO Mtwapa.  

“Many farmers remember learning about cocoa as a West African crop in school, and they are curious to try it out when they discover it can be grown in Kenya. Since it’s relatively easy to make chocolate and cocoa powder from the seeds, some farmers purchase between ten and thirty seedlings for personal consumption,” he explained. 

Both Criollo and Forastero cocoa varieties sold by KALRO mature within two to three years, with each tree capable of producing 150 pods or approximately six kilograms of beans annually. Each cocoa pod contains up to 50 large beans.  

The trees thrive in regions with rainfall between 1,500 to 2,500 millimeters annually, although irrigation is an option. Cocoa also grows well in temperatures ranging from 27 to 32 degrees Celsius, making it suitable for many parts of Kenya. 

Local farmers, like Anthony Mugambi, are seizing the opportunity to add value to their cocoa by processing it into chocolate and other cocoa products.  

“Kenyans consume large quantities of expensive imported chocolate, yet we have the capacity to process cocoa locally and establish a thriving agro-processing industry,” Mugambi said. 

Globally, 70 percent of cocoa is grown in West African countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon, and Nigeria.  

Uganda leads cocoa production in East Africa, generating US$60 million worth of cocoa in 2022. 

Meanwhile, rising cocoa prices, which have surged by 129 percent in 2024 due to disease outbreaks and adverse weather in major producing countries like Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, are encouraging local interest.  

The global cocoa beans market, valued at US$16 billion in 2023, is expected to grow by 7 percent annually to over US$22 billion by 2028, according to the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries. 

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