Growing Sisal in Machakos
Soil suitability analysis based on Machakos's nutrient profile
Machakos County is well suited to Sisal, scoring 92/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 7.03 — neutral and inside the 5.5–8.5 band Sisal prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.82 g/kg), phosphorus (31.4 mg/kg) and potassium (338 mg/kg) all meet Sisal's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Sisal, which favours sandy. At current prices (about KES 90/kg) and a typical 900 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Sisal crop here can gross roughly KES 81,000 per acre.
Suitability score
Soil match analysis
| Nutrient | Machakos soil | Sisal needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.03 | 5.5–8.5 | 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 100 mg/kg | OK |
Top dressing guide
Product
None
Timing
None required
Instruction
Sisal is extremely low-input. No fertilizer top dressing needed.
Bags per Acre
0
Recommended seed varieties
Hybrid 11648Dryland/Coastal
KALRO · 730-1000 days · 400–600 kg/acre
High fibre yield; resistant to zebra disease.
Economics
Market priceKES 90/kg
Expected yield900 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 81,000/acre
Preferred textureSandy
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