Growing Sweet Orange in Kilifi

Soil suitability analysis based on Kilifi's nutrient profile

Kilifi County is a solid choice for Sweet Orange, with a soil-match score of 70/100. Local soils average pH 6.24 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 6–7.5 band Sweet Orange prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium — measured at N 0.8 g/kg, P 11 mg/kg, K 109 mg/kg against this crop's high/high/high demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing those deficits. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Sweet Orange, which favours loam. Sweet Orange's full potential is about 12,000 kg/acre (~KES 600,000/acre at KES 50/kg), but at Kilifi's 70/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 10,500 kg/acre (~KES 525,000/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.