Growing Pawpaw in Machakos
Soil suitability analysis based on Machakos's nutrient profile
Machakos County is well suited to Pawpaw, scoring 85/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 7.03 — neutral and inside the 6–7.5 band Pawpaw prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is nitrogen — measured at N 0.82 g/kg, P 31.4 mg/kg, K 338 mg/kg against this crop's high/medium/high demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing that deficit. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Pawpaw, which favours sandy loam. At current prices (about KES 28/kg) and a typical 10,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Pawpaw crop here can gross roughly KES 280,000 per acre.
Suitability score
Soil match analysis
| Nutrient | Machakos soil | Pawpaw needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.03 | 6–7.5 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 0.82 g/kg | min 1.2 g/kg | Low |
| Phosphorus | 31.4 mg/kg | min 12 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 338 mg/kg | min 200 mg/kg | OK |
Top dressing guide
Product
CAN
Timing
Every 2 months
Instruction
Continuous vegetative grower. Feed nitrogen and MOP regularly.
Bags per Acre
0.5
Recommended seed varieties
Sunrise SoloCoastal/Medium
KALRO · 270-365 days · 150-200 tons/acre
Small fruits; sweet orange flesh; high market demand.
Wambugu F1Medium/Highland
Local · 300-365 days · 130-180 tons/acre
Adapted to highland conditions; good disease tolerance.
Economics
Market priceKES 28/kg
Expected yield10,000 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 280,000/acre
Preferred textureSandy Loam
Fertilizer prices
DAP
KES 2,500(6,500)
CAN
KES 2,500(4,500)
NPK 17:17:17
KES 2,500(5,600)
Urea
KES 2,500(5,500)
Lime
KES 1,500(1,800)
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag