How to Start an Agrovet Business in Kenya

With the increase in agricultural farming in Kenya, an agrovet business in an excellent idea. The lack of white-collar jobs has made many people start to livestock farming, creating a demand for livestock products. Nevertheless, starting an agrovet business in Kenya is not a walk in the park. It requires hard work and uniqueness. In this article, I will show you how to start an agrovet business in Kenya.

Carry Out a Market Research

To succeed in the agrovet business, you need to understand the market. Market research will help you to know the risks in the market and get ready for them. You will also know your competitors and how you can beat them.

It will also help you to discover new opportunities, products and services you can provide in the market. Ultimately, you will know whether the venture is viable in the locality you wish to start one.

Design an Agrovet Business Plan

The first step for those wishing to start an agrovet business in Kenya is to design a business plan. A good business plan should capture startup costs, in demand agrovet products in Kenya, business location, competition, advertising, market share, strengths and weaknesses, risks and cash flow projections. Having an agrovet business plan is essential to keep track of business goals and ensure financial discipline.

Read more: How to write a business plan.

Locate an Excellent Agrovet Business Location

Business location is an essential factor to excel in the agrovet business. Agrovets thrive well near agricultural farms. You need to consider the competition in the area. It is not a wise decision to start an agrovet in an area with many other agrovets.

An excellent business location for an agrovet should be:

Accessible by on foot customers
Secure with adequate storage space for agrovet products
Near agricultural farms
Well ventilated and with adequate water supply

Read more: How to start a daycare center.

Obtain the Necessary Agrovet Business Permits and Licenses

To run a legal and successful agrovet business in Kenya, you need to ensure that your business complies with all the set standards. You need the following business licenses to run an the venture in Kenya.

1. Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) Certificate

The KEPHIS certificate is essential to ensure that customers have confidence in your products. The certificate is issued only to businesses that sell approved products by KEPHIS.

The government is not keen on checking for the certificate, but it is essential since some of your customers may need assurance that you are selling approved products. Display the certificate in a place where customers can see it. For wholesalers, it costs Ksh 3,000 and Ksh 1,000 for agrovet retailers.

2. Pest Control and Products Board Certificate

Since you will be dealing with pest control products, you need to get a certificate from the pest control and products board. For retailers, it costs Ksh 1,000 and Ksh 4,000 for wholesalers and distributors.

3. County Government Business Permit

You need to get a single business permit from the county government. It is essential for any business and the prices vary from one county to the other. However, the price is around Ksh 10,000 every year.

Identify Agrovet Products to Sell in Your Agrovet Business

You might be wondering what to sell in your agrovet business. Agrovets sell a wide variety of products that can be used on livestock, farms and pests. Among the agrovet products to sell include: animal feeds, pests and sprays, pumps, supplements, fertilizers and agrochemicals.

Identify Reliable Agrovet Products Suppliers

Make sure to source agrovet products from reliable suppliers approved by KEPHIS. The following are some agrochemical suppliers in Kenya.

Animal and crop-production suppliers. They supply crop and animal products.
Animal production suppliers. They only supply animal products.
Crop production suppliers. They only deal with crop production supplies.
Animal, crop, equipment and industrial chemicals. They deal with a wide range of agricultural products.

Advertise Your Agrovet Business

It is essential to advertise and promote your business. You need to make potential customers know about the existence of your business and services and products you are providing. You can use posters, business cards for advertisement.

You also need social media presence and if you can, a website would be best for your agrovet business. Always indicate the contact details of your business and respond to customer questions immediately.

Hire Professionals

You need to hire staffs that are knowledgeable about agricultural products. Also, they need to know how to handle chemicals. Sometimes customers without knowledge about agrochemicals will come asking for your help. You need to advise them appropriately. Therefore, being knowledgeable about agrochemicals will be a big plus for your business from most of your competitors.

Is Agrovet Business Profitable in Kenya?

Yes. With an excellent business location and customer service, the business can generate revenue of about Ksh 200,000 every month. Make sure to source products from reputable suppliers and have proper storage of products to prevent losses. For instance, some fertilizers should not be kept in direct sunlight since they are volatile.

How Much Do I Need to Start an Agrovet Business?

The cost of starting an agrovet in Kenya depends on the size of business you want to start and the location. For instance, starting an agrovet in town is expensive compared to rural areas. You can start an agrovet business with Ksh 100,000 and grow it with time.

Tips to Succeed in the Agrovet Business

Maximize on the Peak Seasons

During the planting seasons, there is a higher demand for agrovet products. Make sure that during such peaks, you have enough stock like seeds and fertilizers. Understand the products that are in demand during peaks and stock them early before suppliers can inflate the prices.

Offering affordable prices is an excellent way to keep your customers coming back. Understand the prices at which your competitors are selling their products. If you can offer slightly lower prices than those of your competitors, you are sure to get more customers.

Identify the Best Agrovet Products in Kenya and their Suppliers

Getting the best suppliers and distributors is a great deal for your agrovet business. You will get high-quality agrovet products at lower prices. This will give you an opportunity to sell products to your customers at relatively lower prices in the market and keep them coming back.

You can source agrovet products from the following companies.

Kenya seed company
Farmchem
Twiga
Simlaw seeds
MEA fertilizers
Syngenta
Regina seeds
Orbit chemicals
Coopers
Nairobi veterinary center
Organix Limited
Ultraveties
Pannar seeds
Amiran
Bazafric

Summary of How to Start an Agrovet Shop in Kenya

Starting an agrovet business requires a lot of hard work, skills and knowledge and quality customer care. To succeed in this business, make sure to order supplies from suppliers in small quantities when you are starting. This will help you understand the market and reach more customers without incurring losses. With time and demand, you can scale up your stock.