Growing Cotton in Kwale

Soil suitability analysis based on Kwale's nutrient profile

Kwale County is well suited to Cotton, scoring 88/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.76 — neutral and inside the 5.8–8 band Cotton 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 medium/medium/medium demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing those deficits. Cotton prefers clay soils, while Kwale is largely sandy loam, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. At current prices (about KES 68/kg) and a typical 900 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Cotton crop here can gross roughly KES 61,200 per acre.