Growing Passion Fruit in Mombasa

Soil suitability analysis based on Mombasa's nutrient profile

Quick answer

Generally not ideal — Mombasa is poorly suited to Passion Fruit. Mombasa's soil (pH 6.24, slightly acidic) gives Passion Fruit a suitability score of 0/100. Match fertilizer to Mombasa's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.

Mombasa County is a challenging environment for Passion Fruit (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 5.5–7.5 band Passion Fruit prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium — measured at N 0.95 g/kg, P 8.4 mg/kg, K 136 mg/kg against this crop's high/medium/high demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing those deficits. Passion Fruit prefers loam soils, while Mombasa is largely sandy, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. At 50 m, the county sits below Passion Fruit's preferred altitude range (1200–2500 m), which limits yield potential due to heat stress. Passion Fruit's full potential is about 8,000 kg/acre (~KES 560,000/acre at KES 70/kg), but at Mombasa's 0/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 0 kg/acre (~KES 0/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.

0Suitability score

Soil & climate match

FactorMombasa soilPassion Fruit needsStatus
pH6.245.57.5OK
Nitrogen0.95 g/kgmin 1.2 g/kgLow
Phosphorus8.4 mg/kgmin 12 mg/kgLow
Potassium136 mg/kgmin 200 mg/kgLow
Rainfall1,000 mm900–1,800 mmOK
Altitude50 m1,200–2,500 mLow

Top dressing guide

Product
CAN
Timing
Start of rains biannual
Instruction
Apply in a ring around the drip line. Split into 2 applications per year.
Bags per Acre
0.5

Recommended seed varieties

Purple PassionMedium/Highland
KALRO · 365-548 days · 4.5–7.2 tons/acre
Purple fruited; high juice content; good local and export market.
Yellow PassionMedium/Highland
KALRO · 270-365 days · 5.4–8.1 tons/acre
Yellow fruited; more vigorous; tolerant to fusarium wilt.

Economics

Market priceKES 70/kg
Expected yield in Mombasa0 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 0/acre
Adjusted for Mombasa's 0/100 suitability. Under ideal conditions Passion Fruit can reach 8,000 kg/acre (~KES 560,000/acre) — attainable here only after the climate and soil constraints below are addressed.

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