Growing Macadamia in Mombasa

Soil suitability analysis based on Mombasa's nutrient profile

Mombasa County is a challenging environment for Macadamia (soil-match score 0/100) and will need significant amendment before planting. Local soils average pH 6.24 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 4.5–6.5 band Macadamia prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is phosphorus and potassium — measured at N 0.95 g/kg, P 8.4 mg/kg, K 136 mg/kg against this crop's medium/medium/medium demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing those deficits. Macadamia prefers loam soils, while Mombasa is largely sandy, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. At 50 m, the county sits below Macadamia's preferred altitude range (900–2100 m), which limits yield potential due to heat stress. At current prices (about KES 110/kg) and a typical 1,500 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Macadamia crop here can gross roughly KES 165,000 per acre.