Growing Cashew Nuts in Machakos
Soil suitability analysis based on Machakos's nutrient profile
Generally not ideal — Machakos is poorly suited to Cashew Nuts. Machakos's soil (pH 7.03, near-neutral) gives Cashew Nuts a suitability score of 17/100. Match fertilizer to Machakos's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Machakos County is a challenging environment for Cashew Nuts (soil-match score 17/100) and will need significant amendment before planting. Local soils average pH 7.03 — neutral and inside the 5–7.5 band Cashew Nuts prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.82 g/kg), phosphorus (31.4 mg/kg) and potassium (338 mg/kg) all meet Cashew Nuts's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Cashew Nuts, which favours sandy. At 1100 m, the county sits above Cashew Nuts's preferred altitude ceiling of 500 m, where frost risk and cold nights reduce the crop's productivity. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Cashew Nuts is the #102 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Machakos County. Cashew Nuts's full potential is about 900 kg/acre (~KES 247,500/acre at KES 275/kg), but at Machakos's 17/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 191 kg/acre (~KES 52,525/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.
Better matched to Machakos's soil: Mango, Sisal, and Moringa — each scores higher on the same soil.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Machakos soil | Cashew Nuts needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.03 | 5–7.5 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 0.82 g/kg | min 0.5 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 31.4 mg/kg | min 6 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 338 mg/kg | min 150 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 700 mm | 600–1,500 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 1,100 m | 0–500 m | High |
Planting calendar for Machakos
Long Rains· March–May
Short Rains· October–DecemberMain season here
Dry Season· January–March
Top dressing guide
Machakos's nitrogen (0.82 g/kg) already meets Cashew Nuts's 0.5 g/kg requirement, so this is a maintenance rate.
Seed varieties for Machakos
Varieties suited to Machakos's 1,100 m altitude and 700 mm annual rainfall — 1 of 2 cashew nuts varieties we list.
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag