Wambugu apple also known as semi-arid-apple is an organic grafted apple that can be grown anywhere. Apple farming has been a difficult thing in West Africa including Nigeria due to Climatic conditions. This fruit bearing plant is very selective yet the fruit is liked by many people in our country.
That is why the rate of consumption keeps increasing daily. Apple is more preferred than other fruits and has a higher price.. One can go for #50 or #100 depending on the size. Wambugu apple grows in a warm or hot temperature of about 36°C. Unlike the other known specie that grows only in temperate regions with low temperature.
Most African countries import apple from South Africa and Israel. The cost of importing them down increases the price.It was because of this challenge that Wambugu a Kenya man formerly a mechanic started searching for solutions because the seedlings imported from Israel couldn’t grow in Kenya. In his quest he went to the forest and cut the natural apple; grafted it with the seedling from Israel, boom! Wambugu apple was birthed; the yield was more than the imported.
Wambugu apple became the first apple tree that can be grown in warm regions . As such West African Countries can now conveniently cultivate apple successfully.
This is a golden opportunity for farmers and investors to go into apple farming for cool business. The number of people consuming apple keeps increasing every day as the knowledge of the benefits grows. Before now it was mostly consumed by the high-class and middle class but now almost everyone craves for apple. It is said “one apple a day keeps you away from a Doctor”.
The number of cartons shipped into the country to awaken the farmer in you. Government can even sponsor individuals or partner with private bodies to grow this wonderful fruit. This will not only give a boost to our economy but will also provide jobs for thousands of unemployed persons. As it will both serve the locals and export.
HOW TO CULTIVATE WAMBUGU APPLE
Wambugu apple can be grown in any soil type and weather but not in a waterlog area. For optimum growth and yield plant them in a sandy-loam soil.
LAND PREPARATION
Clear the land by removing trees, shrubs, grasses and other weeds. You can keep them in one place for compost manure. Dig a hole of about 60cm by 60cm or a hole of 2 feet by 2 feet. Before starting prepare the soil by mixing organic manure with top soil in an equal ratio of 1:1 with water.
Apply 30kg of the fully decomposed manure in each hole.
PLANTING
Soak the roots of the seedlings in water for an hour before planting to hydrate them. Sow the seedlings into the already dug hole at a depth of 2 inches above the soil level. Mulch the root area with the compost manure. The spacing should be 5m by 5m for optimum growth.
Transplant them very early in the morning or later in the evening but first of all loosen the soil before planting. Don’t shed the seedlings allow them to grow in the open sunlight. Prune the apple 2-3 years after planting for a good and healthy structure.
An acre requires 310 seedlings.
PEST/DISEASES IN APPLE FARMING
The common pests are aphid, thrips, fruit fluid, spider mites, apple scalp, root rot, powdery mildew. As it is often said prevention is better than cure. So prevent pest and diseases by using disease free seedlings.
IRRIGATION
Apply water 5-10 litres daily. But where the rain keeps falling every day stop watering to avoid root rot and do so when there is drought.
FERTILIZER APPLICATION
Top dressing should be done 6 months after planting. Wambugu apple can be grown completely with farmyard manure. Where there is need for additional nutrient you can add 150g of organic fertilizer to boost growth.
APPLE VARIETIES
- Braeburn
- Fiji
- Gala
- Red delicious
- Golden varieties
HARVEST/YIELD
Ordinary apple trees matures within 3 years after planting. Grafted seedlings or the improved variety like the wambugu apple, matures and fruit between 9-14 months. A tree can produce 1,000-2,000 fruits. This is achievable after 3 years with good farming and cultural practices being but in place. The first fruiting will be few numbers just to taste water before the main fruiting.
Pluck the fruit with your hands when they are still very fresh into a basket. It should not be rough handled or brush on the ground to avoid abrasion that can quickly destroy the fruit. The plant can live and produce for more than 45 years.
It has 2 seasons within a year; July August and December-January. Delay in harvest will invite, insects and pests to the fruits.
MARKETING
Supermarkets, big shopping malls and big institutions purchase apple in large dozens, locate them and supply. Sell to market women and men.
Advertise your apple business online and off-line and you will see people coming to you for a purchase rather you going to them.
PROFITABILITY IN WAMBUGU APPLE FARMING
In this analysis, I shall be using an acre for a sample. As previously started an acre will accommodate 310 trees.
Let us say a tree produced 1000 fruit, let’s also assume an apple is #100/ Therefore, 100×1000=#100,000. That means one tree will give you that amount.
#100,000×310 trees=#31,000,000 for an acre. Since Apple has 2 fruiting season we have 2×31,000,000=62,000,000. Can you beat that, here is the reason to start Wambugu apple farming.
CONCLUSION
Wambugu apple can grow anywhere in the world including West African countries and Nigeria. It grows with minimal maintenance. If you ask me between apple farming and orange farming which would I go for?… hmmmm. Your guess is as good as mine.
Apple farms in Nigeria
- We have apple farms in Jos
- Apple farm in Uga, Anambra State.
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I need a consultant for apple plantation in Nigeria. Email me at lsanwoola@yahoo.com.
@Lateef check your male
please i need to meet or reach for more advice and traning,because i will love to go into apple farming
Please I need to know more about growing apples. Kindly contact me on davboat23@gmail.com
My contact 08035965405
How to get the seedling am really interested in farming apple
08035965405
Thanks for job well done. where can I locate an apple farm in Abuja? I would like one on one engagement with someone into it. Also how can I get the seedlings. email me please. okomatthew89@gmail.com. Thanks.
I mean how can I contact you for further consultation on this subject matter ?
08035965405
I really appreciate this information, highly educating, God bless you.
Please kindly give me a link, I want to get quality Apple seedlings.
Thank you.
I wish to go in apple business and how do I get the seeds for planting
Call 08155196689 for contact
This is a great information but where can I get wanbugu Apple seedlings in Nigeria?
I really appreciate you for your generosity…..I pray the Lord Almighty will reward you accordingly… please I really need details on how to purchase the seedlings and guidelines on how to start… thanks so much..
contact me for seedworld contacts 08155196689
I need to know how best to have apple farm small on my land
Complement of the season.
I intend to go into apple farming and i have been doing searching for a reputable company to produces Apple or a reputable Apple farm that can A to Z brack of how to go about it. until i came across WAMBUGU APPLE FARM videos on YouTube and i am so amazed to know that 5 varieties of WAMBUGU can be grown in Nigeria, ooh am just too happy about it.
pls kindly send am quotation of what it takes to set up 100 acres of WAMBUGU apple farm Nigeria, including the cost of seedings, machinery’s, amount labour needed,etc.
All what it takes to run the farm successful.
@Elias lets chat on 08155196689
I really want to start appple farming,, but i need to know where to get the seeds
CONTACT 08155196689
I want to buy Wanbugu Apple seedlings.
@Keke call and request for company’s number 08155196689
I need seedlings how much
Contact 08155196689
How much is a seedlings, how to buy ten. Wale Adenekan. 080600406
CALL 08035965405
Thanks for this information.
Please where or how do I get the seedlings.
contact 08155196689
Where can I get wabugu Apple seedlings for planting and how much per seedling?
contact 08155196689
Good day sir. Please how much is the estimated cost of planting one acre of Wambugu Apple Seedlings including workmanship. Thanks.
CALL 08035965405
Nice! Where do l get the seeds or seedlings?
Good day, please I grew some apple trees from seeds last year and they seem to grow very well until I transplanted them to its permanent location,it did very well till late February when it started wilting and I found out it was stressed by drought. Please what do I do I still have about 4 plants in nursery. I can send pictures if you wish. Thank you for your anticipated help. Adeleye.
08051744657, leyegoke@yahoo.com.
feed it with organic manure and water it well, now that rain has started they should be awake and will soon established. you can send the images to my whatsapp 08035965405
Very interesting I wish to start the farming (apple farming) I have a. half plot at my backyard where to buy the seedlings in Ondo stae
the office is in Mowe call 08035965405
I need about three seedlings in my premise for landscaping, how do I get them and cost. Thanks
Let’s chat 08035965405
Pls I need to get information on how to grow apple
I need d training and seedlings
Am very much interested to ho into apple farming in Nigeria
Good afternoon I am interested in this farming I have abandoned half plot of land the cost of the seedlings and where to get good variety thank you
08155196689
Thanks for this awesome information. I will like to get a consultant service. I need details of how to get seeds and the cost.
Thanks for your anticipated response.
please contact 08035965405
Please I read about wambugu apple for the first time, very interesting. I hope there is availability of this product. Kindly send your phone/WhatsApp number for discussion on how to get seedling for planting.
Regards
Thanks @James, Whatsapp for seller’s number 08155196689
Good day. Please I need to be detailed on the planting of Wambugu Apple and how to get seedlings here in Western Nigeria.
Thanks for the good information.from your write up you said we should pit fertizer every six months,does that means even after three years that we have been harvesting,we should continue applying fertilizer at every six months interval.
yes
Thanks for sharing. Please what is the cost of red apple wambugu seedlings
contact for sellers number 08035965405