Is Kwale good for growing Carrot?

Kwale County scores 3/100 for Carrot suitability (poor). Soil pH is 6.76 against a preferred 5.5–7, nitrogen 0.93 g/kg and phosphorus 9.8 mg/kg. County rainfall is 900 mm/year against Carrot's 600–1200 mm range. Soil amendments or irrigation may be needed before planting Carrot.

What fertilizer is best for Carrot in Kwale?

Base the plan on Kwale's soil: pH 6.76, nitrogen 0.93 g/kg and phosphorus 9.8 mg/kg. Get an exact bag-per-acre basal and top-dressing schedule free at https://shambaiq.com/app.

What soil pH does Carrot need, and does Kwale have it?

Carrot grows best at pH 5.5–7. Kwale averages pH 6.76, which is within that range.

How much can I earn from Carrot per acre in Kwale?

At roughly KES 38/kg and an expected 10,000 kg/acre, gross revenue is about KES 380,000 per acre before input costs. Use the ShambaIQ budget tool for a net figure based on your fertilizer plan.

Growing Carrot in Kwale

Soil suitability analysis based on Kwale's nutrient profile

Quick answer

Generally not ideal — Kwale is poorly suited to Carrot. Kwale's soil (pH 6.76, near-neutral) gives Carrot a suitability score of 3/100. Match fertilizer to Kwale's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.

Kwale County is a challenging environment for Carrot (soil-match score 3/100) and will need significant amendment before planting. Local soils average pH 6.76 — neutral and inside the 5.5–7 band Carrot prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is phosphorus and potassium — measured at N 0.93 g/kg, P 9.8 mg/kg, K 131 mg/kg against this crop's low/medium/high demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing those deficits. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Carrot, which favours sandy loam. At 200 m, the county sits below Carrot's preferred altitude range (1000–2500 m), which limits yield potential due to heat stress. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Carrot is the #81 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Kwale County. Carrot's full potential is about 10,000 kg/acre (~KES 380,000/acre at KES 38/kg), but at Kwale's 3/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 375 kg/acre (~KES 14,250/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.

Better matched to Kwale's soil: Dhania, Pigeon Peas, and Mango — each scores higher on the same soil.

Suitability score

Soil & climate match

Factor	Kwale soil	Carrot needs	Status
pH	6.76	5.5–7	OK
Nitrogen	0.93 g/kg	min 0.5 g/kg	OK
Phosphorus	9.8 mg/kg	min 12 mg/kg	Low
Potassium	131 mg/kg	min 200 mg/kg	Low
Rainfall	900 mm	600–1,200 mm	OK
Altitude	200 m	1,000–2,500 m	Low

Top dressing guide

Product

CAN

Timing

Week 4-5 after sowing

Instruction

Apply at thinning stage when roots begin swelling. Avoid over-application — causes forked roots.

Bags per acre in Kwale

0.5

Kwale's nitrogen (0.93 g/kg) already meets Carrot's 0.5 g/kg requirement, so this is a maintenance rate.

Recommended seed varieties

No variety in our list is specifically rated for Kwale's 200 m altitude and 900 mm rainfall, so all 2 are shown. Confirm with your agrovet before buying.

NantesMedium/Highland

Simlaw Seeds · 70-80 days · 4–5 tons/acre

Cylindrical roots; sweet flavor; excellent fresh market variety.

ChantenayMedium

Simlaw Seeds · 75-90 days · 3.5–4.5 tons/acre

Broad shoulders; good for heavy soils; reliable yield.

Economics

Market priceKES 38/kg

Expected yield in Kwale375 kg/acre

Estimated revenueKES 14,250/acre

Adjusted for Kwale's 3/100 suitability. Under ideal conditions Carrot can reach 10,000 kg/acre (~KES 380,000/acre) — attainable here only after the climate and soil constraints below are addressed.

Preferred textureSandy Loam

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

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