Growing Guava in Kisumu

Soil suitability analysis based on Kisumu's nutrient profile

Quick answer

Yes — Kisumu is well suited to Guava. Kisumu's soil (pH 5.54, slightly acidic) gives Guava a suitability score of 78/100. Match fertilizer to Kisumu's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.

Kisumu County is well suited to Guava, scoring 78/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 5.54 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 5.5–7.5 band Guava prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.91 g/kg), phosphorus (12.5 mg/kg) and potassium (166 mg/kg) all meet Guava's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. Guava prefers loam soils, while Kisumu is largely clay, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Guava is the #23 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Kisumu County. At current prices (about KES 60/kg) and a typical 10,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Guava crop here can gross roughly KES 600,000 per acre.

78Suitability score

Soil & climate match

FactorKisumu soilGuava needsStatus
pH5.545.57.5OK
Nitrogen0.91 g/kgmin 0.8 g/kgOK
Phosphorus12.5 mg/kgmin 12 mg/kgOK
Potassium166 mg/kgmin 150 mg/kgOK
Rainfall1,200 mm700–1,800 mmOK
Altitude1,150 m0–1,800 mOK

Planting calendar for Kisumu

Long Rains· MarchMayMain season here

March
Transplanting & Basal
April
Pruning & Top Dressing
May
Fruit Development

Short Rains· SeptemberNovember

September
Transplanting & Basal
October
Pruning & Top Dressing
November
Fruit Development

Top dressing guide

Product
CAN
Timing
Twice per year at start of rains
Instruction
Ring-apply around the drip line. Add NPK at flowering.
Bags per acre in Kisumu
0.5

Kisumu's nitrogen (0.91 g/kg) already meets Guava's 0.8 g/kg requirement, so this is a maintenance rate.

Economics

Market priceKES 60/kg
Expected yield in Kisumu9,750 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 585,000/acre
Adjusted for Kisumu's 78/100 suitability. Under ideal conditions Guava can reach 10,000 kg/acre (~KES 600,000/acre) — attainable here only after the climate and soil constraints below are addressed.

Preferred textureLoam

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