Is Isiolo good for growing Mango?

Isiolo County scores 38/100 for Mango suitability (poor). Soil pH is 7.83 against a preferred 5.5–8.5, nitrogen 0.46 g/kg and phosphorus 37.4 mg/kg. County rainfall is 350 mm/year against Mango's 500–1200 mm range. Soil amendments or irrigation may be needed before planting Mango.

What fertilizer is best for Mango in Isiolo?

Base the plan on Isiolo's soil: pH 7.83, nitrogen 0.46 g/kg and phosphorus 37.4 mg/kg. Get an exact bag-per-acre basal and top-dressing schedule free at https://shambaiq.com/app.

What soil pH does Mango need, and does Isiolo have it?

Mango grows best at pH 5.5–8.5. Isiolo averages pH 7.83, which is within that range.

How much can I earn from Mango per acre in Isiolo?

At roughly KES 10/kg and an expected 8,000 kg/acre, gross revenue is about KES 80,000 per acre before input costs. Use the ShambaIQ budget tool for a net figure based on your fertilizer plan.

Growing Mango in Isiolo

Soil suitability analysis based on Isiolo's nutrient profile

Quick answer

Generally not ideal — Isiolo is poorly suited to Mango. Isiolo's soil (pH 7.83, alkaline) gives Mango a suitability score of 38/100. Match fertilizer to Isiolo's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.

Isiolo County is a challenging environment for Mango (soil-match score 38/100) and will need significant amendment before planting. Local soils average pH 7.83 — alkaline and inside the 5.5–8.5 band Mango prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is nitrogen — measured at N 0.46 g/kg, P 37.4 mg/kg, K 395 mg/kg against this crop's low/low/medium demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing that deficit. The county's predominantly sandy soils suit Mango, which favours sandy. Isiolo receives approximately 350 mm/year — well below Mango's minimum of 500 mm — so supplemental irrigation would be essential for this crop. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Mango is the #20 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Isiolo County. Mango's full potential is about 8,000 kg/acre (~KES 80,000/acre at KES 10/kg), but at Isiolo's 38/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 3,800 kg/acre (~KES 38,000/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.

Better matched to Isiolo's soil: Sisal, Aloe Vera, and Green Grams — each scores higher on the same soil.

Suitability score

Soil & climate match

Factor	Isiolo soil	Mango needs	Status
pH	7.83	5.5–8.5	OK
Nitrogen	0.46 g/kg	min 0.5 g/kg	Low
Phosphorus	37.4 mg/kg	min 6 mg/kg	OK
Potassium	395 mg/kg	min 150 mg/kg	OK
Rainfall	350 mm	500–1,200 mm	Low
Altitude	900 m	0–1,200 m	OK

Top dressing guide

Product

CAN

Timing

Before flowering (once annually)

Instruction

Apply 2–3 months before expected flowering. Excess N delays fruiting.

Bags per acre in Isiolo

0.50.3

Isiolo's nitrogen (0.46 g/kg) is 92% of the 0.5 g/kg Mango needs, so the standard 0.3 bags/acre is raised to 0.5. Split it across two applications to limit leaching.

Seed varieties for Isiolo

Varieties suited to Isiolo's 900 m altitude and 350 mm annual rainfall — 2 of 2 mango varieties we list.

Apple MangoCoastal/Dryland

KALRO/HCDA · 1000-1200 days · 3.6–5.4 tons/acre

Most popular domestic variety; sweet and juicy.

Tommy AtkinsCoastal/Dryland

KALRO/HCDA · 1000-1200 days · 4.5–7.2 tons/acre

Export quality; good shelf life; disease tolerant.

Economics

Market priceKES 10/kg

Expected yield in Isiolo3,800 kg/acre

Estimated revenueKES 38,000/acre

Adjusted for Isiolo's 38/100 suitability. Under ideal conditions Mango can reach 8,000 kg/acre (~KES 80,000/acre) — attainable here only after the climate and soil constraints below are addressed.

Preferred textureSandy

Fertilizer prices

DAP

KES 3,500(6,500)

CAN

KES 2,875(5,700)

NPK 17:17:17

KES 3,275(5,600)

Urea

KES 3,500(5,500)

Lime

KES 1,500(1,800)

Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag

← Isiolo full soil report Mango farming guide →Agrovets in Isiolo →Get full advice →