Growing Chilies in Makueni
Soil suitability analysis based on Makueni's nutrient profile
Makueni County is well suited to Chilies, scoring 81/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 7.5 — alkaline and inside the 6–7.5 band Chilies prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.86 g/kg), phosphorus (29.6 mg/kg) and potassium (351 mg/kg) all meet Chilies's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Chilies, which favours sandy loam. At current prices (about KES 165/kg) and a typical 1,800 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Chilies crop here can gross roughly KES 297,000 per acre.
Suitability score
Soil match analysis
| Nutrient | Makueni soil | Chilies needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.5 | 6–7.5 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 0.86 g/kg | min 0.8 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 29.6 mg/kg | min 12 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 351 mg/kg | min 150 mg/kg | OK |
Top dressing guide
Product
CAN
Timing
Every 4 weeks during harvest
Instruction
Apply nitrogen to support continuous leaf and pepper setting.
Bags per Acre
0.5
Recommended seed varieties
Pilipili KichaaDryland/Medium
Local/KALRO · 90-120 days · 20-30 bags/acre
Very pungent; high market demand; drought tolerant.
Cayenne LongMedium
Simlaw Seeds · 80-100 days · 25-35 bags/acre
High yield; good for drying and fresh market.
Economics
Market priceKES 165/kg
Expected yield1,800 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 297,000/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