Growing Groundnuts in Meru

Soil suitability analysis based on Meru's nutrient profile

Meru County is well suited to Groundnuts, scoring 76/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. At an average pH of 4.88 the soil is strongly acidic, below Groundnuts's preferred 5–7 range; agricultural lime will lift pH and unlock phosphorus the crop cannot otherwise access. Nitrogen (1.22 g/kg), phosphorus (20.3 mg/kg) and potassium (218 mg/kg) all meet Groundnuts's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. Groundnuts prefers sandy soils, while Meru is largely clay loam, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. At current prices (about KES 90/kg) and a typical 500 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Groundnuts crop here can gross roughly KES 45,000 per acre.