Growing Sesame (Simsim) in Mombasa
Soil suitability analysis based on Mombasa's nutrient profile
Yes — Mombasa is well suited to Sesame (Simsim). Mombasa's soil (pH 6.24, slightly acidic) gives Sesame (Simsim) a suitability score of 82/100. Match fertilizer to Mombasa's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Mombasa County is well suited to Sesame (Simsim), scoring 82/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.24 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 5.5–7 band Sesame (Simsim) prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.95 g/kg), phosphorus (8.4 mg/kg) and potassium (136 mg/kg) all meet Sesame (Simsim)'s requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy soils suit Sesame (Simsim), which favours sandy. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Sesame (Simsim) is the #25 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Mombasa County. At current prices (about KES 350/kg) and a typical 250 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Sesame (Simsim) crop here can gross roughly KES 87,500 per acre.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Mombasa soil | Sesame (Simsim) needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.24 | 5.5–7 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 0.95 g/kg | min 0.5 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 8.4 mg/kg | min 6 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 136 mg/kg | min 100 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 1,000 mm | 300–800 mm | High |
| Altitude | 50 m | 0–1,600 m | OK |
Recommended seed varieties
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag