Custard Apples: Turning an Overlooked Fruit into Gold

Custard apples, or sugar apples “matomoko” are those scaly green fruits with soft, creamy white flesh inside. If you’ve tasted one, you know why people call it a “natural custard.” Sweet, fragrant, and packed with nutrients, custard apples are a hit in Asian markets, and demand is slowly building in Kenya too.

At local level, they are still a curiosity, you won’t find them everywhere like mangoes or oranges. But that’s exactly the opportunity. As health-conscious Kenyans and fruit exporters look for unique, high-value crops, custard apples are gaining ground.

For farmers willing to try something new, this fruit offers both local sales and potential export value.

Where Do They Grow Best?

Custard apples love warm, semi-arid to sub-humid areas. They are more drought-tolerant than most fruits and can thrive where mangoes and pawpaws grow well.

• Best Counties: Kitui, Makueni, Machakos, Embu (lower areas), parts of Rift Valley, and coastal Kenya.
• Climate: Warm, with daytime temperatures of 20–30°C. They don’t like cold or frost, so high-altitude areas above 1,800m (like Kericho or Nyeri) are not ideal.
• Soil: Light, well-drained sandy or loamy soils with a pH between 5.5 and 7.5. Heavy clay and waterlogging are enemies.

Soil Tip: If your shamba floods in rainy seasons, consider raised beds or ridges before planting.

Land Preparation and Planting

• Clear weeds and dig holes 60cm x 60cm x 60cm.
• Mix topsoil with at least 20kg of farmyard manure and a handful of DAP or bone meal.
• Space the trees about 5m x 5m apart. This allows airflow and reduces disease risk.
• Seedlings cost KSh 300 each from Seedfarm or Organicfarm Kenya (+254 712 075 915 | oxfarmorganic@gmail.com). Grafted seedlings bear fruit earlier (2–3 years) compared to direct seed-grown trees (4–5 years).
• A well-prepared acre can hold about 160 trees.

Aways buy from certified nurseries, many farmers fail because they plant wild or poorly raised seedlings that take forever to fruit.

Caring for Custard Apple Trees

Custard apples are fairly hardy, but a little care makes a huge difference.

• Watering: In semi-arid areas, they’ll survive drought, but for good fruiting, water during flowering and fruit filling. Drip irrigation works well for orchards.
• Mulching: Spread dry grass or crop residues around the base to retain soil moisture.
• Pruning: Trim branches to keep the tree low and open. This makes harvesting easy and reduces pest hideouts.
• Fertilizer: Apply manure or compost twice a year. Supplement with NPK (10:10:10) during the growing season.

Pests & Diseases

• Fruit borers and fruit flies: Main problems—bagging fruits or using traps helps.
• Mealybugs: May appear on young shoots—neem solution or soap sprays work.
• Anthracnose (fungal spots): Can occur in humid areas—pruning and copper-based fungicides help.
  Control tips:
• Use neem sprays (KSh 500/litre) or fruit traps.
• Spray copper-based fungicides (KSh 1,200/pack) if necessary.
• Maintain orchard hygiene.

Local Farmer Hack (Machakos): Some farmers intercrop custard apples with beans or cowpeas in the first 2 years. Once trees mature, they leave the orchard under grass cover. This way, no space is wasted.

Harvesting and Yields

Custard apples start fruiting 2–3 years after planting if grafted. Seed-grown trees take longer but live longer too.

• Fruits are ready when the scales (the bumpy skin) separate slightly and the fruit turns light green or yellowish.
• Harvest gently by hand—don’t drop them, they bruise easily.
• Each mature tree can produce 30–50 fruits per season, and with good care, yields can reach 10–15 tonnes per hectare.
• Storage: At 10–15°C with 85–90% humidity, fresh fruits last 4–7 days.

Timing Tip: Custard apples ripen in dry seasons, often when other fruits are scarce. Meaning prices are high.

How Much Can You Earn?

Currently, custard apples sell for KSh 50–80 per fruit in urban areas like Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu. In supermarkets, prices can go higher—KSh 300–400 per kilo.

On one acre (about 160 trees at 5m spacing), if each tree gives just 30 fruits, that’s 4,800 fruits. At KSh 60 each, that’s KSh 288,000 per season. With better management and higher yields, profits can double.

Market Opportunities

• Local markets: Nairobi’s City Market, Wakulima, and organic food stalls.
• Supermarkets & greengrocers: Target high-end outlets that already sell exotic fruits like dragon fruit and passion fruit.
• Hotels & juice bars: Custard apples make smoothies, ice cream, and desserts.
• Export potential: Middle East and Asian markets, especially India and UAE, though this requires meeting strict standards.
• Value addition: Can be turned into jams, juices, custard-based desserts, or dried fruit powder for baking.

Challenges in Custard Apple Farming

• Limited seedlings: Not every county has access; sourcing is sometimes a hurdle.
• Short shelf life: Fruits ripen quickly and don’t store long. Farmers must connect to markets early.
• Pest pressure: Fruit flies can cause serious losses if not managed.
• Market awareness: Many Kenyans still don’t know custard apples well, so marketing is key.

Custard apples may not yet be mainstream in Kenya, but that’s where the opportunity lies. With their rich taste, nutritional value, and growing urban demand, they’re a smart choice for farmers who want to stand out.

A small orchard can bring steady cash, especially for those who connect directly with urban buyers or supermarkets. And with time, as the fruit gains popularity, today’s pioneer farmers will already be reaping big.

As one farmer in Makueni put it after her first harvest: “When neighbors asked what fruit this was, I smiled because I knew soon they’ll also be planting it.” If you’re ready to diversify beyond the usual mangoes and pawpaws, custard apples could be your next big step.