Growing Broccoli in Elgeyo Marakwet
Soil suitability analysis based on Elgeyo Marakwet's nutrient profile
Elgeyo Marakwet County is well suited to Broccoli, scoring 88/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.27 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 6–7.5 band Broccoli prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.39 g/kg), phosphorus (22.2 mg/kg) and potassium (213 mg/kg) all meet Broccoli's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly clay loam soils suit Broccoli, which favours loam. At current prices (about KES 90/kg) and a typical 5,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Broccoli crop here can gross roughly KES 450,000 per acre.
Suitability score
Soil match analysis
| Nutrient | Elgeyo Marakwet soil | Broccoli needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.27 | 6–7.5 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 1.39 g/kg | min 1.2 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 22.2 mg/kg | min 20 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 213 mg/kg | min 200 mg/kg | OK |
Planting calendar
Long Rains
Month 1
Nursery Preparation & Transplanting & DAP Basal
Month 2
CAN Top Dressing (week 3) & Caterpillar Control
Month 3
Head Initiation Top Dress & Harvesting
Short Rains
Month 1
Nursery & Transplanting
Month 2
Top Dressing & DBM Scouting
Month 3
Harvesting
Dry Season
Month 1
Irrigation-based Transplanting
Month 2
CAN Top Dressing & Pest Management
Month 3
Harvesting & Land Preparation
Top dressing guide
Product
CAN
Timing
Week 3 then head initiation (week 6)
Instruction
Apply CAN 3 weeks after transplanting and again at head initiation (~week 6); broccoli needs steady N for tight heads
Bags per Acre
1.5
Recommended seed varieties
CalabreseHighland
Simlaw Seeds · 70-90 days · 2–3.5 tons/acre
Open-pollinated broccoli; central head plus side shoots; suited to cool highlands.
Green Magic F1Highland
East Africa Seeds · 60-75 days · 3–4.5 tons/acre
Hybrid; uniform dome heads; heat tolerant; export and supermarket quality.
Marathon F1Highland
Royal Seeds · 75-95 days · 2.8–4.3 tons/acre
Large dense heads; downy mildew tolerant; excellent for high-altitude production.
Economics
Market priceKES 90/kg
Expected yield5,000 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 450,000/acre
Preferred textureLoam
Fertilizer prices
DAP
KES 2,500(6,500)
CAN
KES 2,500(4,500)
NPK 17:17:17
KES 2,500(5,600)
Urea
KES 2,500(5,500)
Lime
KES 1,500(1,800)
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag