Growing Stevia in Machakos
Soil suitability analysis based on Machakos's nutrient profile
Machakos County is well suited to Stevia, scoring 85/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 7.03 — neutral and inside the 6–7.5 band Stevia 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/medium demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing that deficit. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Stevia, which favours loam. At current prices (about KES 200/kg) and a typical 3,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Stevia crop here can gross roughly KES 600,000 per acre.
Suitability score
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Machakos soil | Stevia 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 150 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 700 mm | 700–1,500 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 1,100 m | 500–2,000 m | OK |
Planting calendar
Long Rains
Month 1
Nursery & Transplanting & Basal
Month 2
Weeding & Top Dressing
Month 3
Continuous Leaf Harvest
Short Rains
Month 1
Nursery & Transplanting & Basal
Month 2
Weeding & Top Dressing
Month 3
Continuous Leaf Harvest
Top dressing guide
Product
CAN
Timing
After each cutting
Instruction
Top-dress after each harvest for continuous leaf regrowth.
Bags per Acre
0.3
Economics
Market priceKES 200/kg
Expected yield 3,000 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 600,000/acre
Preferred textureLoam
Fertilizer prices
DAP
KES 3,500(6,500)
CAN
KES 2,875(4,500)
NPK 17:17:17
KES 3,275(5,600)
Urea
KES 3,500(5,500)
Lime
KES 1,500(1,800)
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag