Growing Groundnuts in Kwale
Soil suitability analysis based on Kwale's nutrient profile
Yes — Kwale is well suited to Groundnuts. Kwale's soil (pH 6.76, near-neutral) gives Groundnuts a suitability score of 80/100. Match fertilizer to Kwale's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Kwale County is well suited to Groundnuts, scoring 80/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.76 — neutral and inside the 5–7 band Groundnuts 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/medium demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing those deficits. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Groundnuts, which favours sandy. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Groundnuts is the #31 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Kwale County. At current prices (about KES 90/kg) and a typical 500 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Groundnuts crop here can gross roughly KES 45,000 per acre.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Kwale soil | Groundnuts needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.76 | 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 150 mg/kg | Low |
| Rainfall | 900 mm | 500–1,400 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 200 m | 0–1,800 m | OK |
Top dressing guide
Kwale's nitrogen reads 0.93 g/kg, but the rate stays at zero: Groundnuts is not top-dressed, for the crop-specific reason above.
Seed varieties for Kwale
Varieties suited to Kwale's 200 m altitude and 900 mm annual rainfall — 2 of 2 groundnuts varieties we list.
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag