Growing Passion Fruit in Kericho

Soil suitability analysis based on Kericho's nutrient profile

Quick answer

Yes — Kericho is well suited to Passion Fruit. Kericho's soil (pH 5.94, slightly acidic) gives Passion Fruit a suitability score of 87/100. Match fertilizer to Kericho's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.

Kericho County is well suited to Passion Fruit, scoring 87/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 5.94 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 5.5–7.5 band Passion Fruit prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.34 g/kg), phosphorus (23.7 mg/kg) and potassium (225 mg/kg) all meet Passion Fruit's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. Passion Fruit prefers loam soils, while Kericho is largely clay, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. At current prices (about KES 70/kg) and a typical 8,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Passion Fruit crop here can gross roughly KES 560,000 per acre.

87Suitability score

Soil & climate match

FactorKericho soilPassion Fruit needsStatus
pH5.945.57.5OK
Nitrogen1.34 g/kgmin 1.2 g/kgOK
Phosphorus23.7 mg/kgmin 12 mg/kgOK
Potassium225 mg/kgmin 200 mg/kgOK
Rainfall1,800 mm900–1,800 mmOK
Altitude2,000 m1,200–2,500 mOK

Top dressing guide

Product
CAN
Timing
Start of rains biannual
Instruction
Apply in a ring around the drip line. Split into 2 applications per year.
Bags per Acre
0.5

Recommended seed varieties

Purple PassionMedium/Highland
KALRO · 365-548 days · 4.5–7.2 tons/acre
Purple fruited; high juice content; good local and export market.
Yellow PassionMedium/Highland
KALRO · 270-365 days · 5.4–8.1 tons/acre
Yellow fruited; more vigorous; tolerant to fusarium wilt.

Economics

Market priceKES 70/kg
Expected yield 8,000 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 560,000/acre

Preferred textureLoam

Fertilizer prices

DAP
KES 3,500(6,500)
CAN
KES 2,875(4,500)
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