Growing Tangerine in Nandi

Soil suitability analysis based on Nandi's nutrient profile

Quick answer

Yes — Nandi is well suited to Tangerine. Nandi's soil (pH 6.17, slightly acidic) gives Tangerine a suitability score of 79/100. Match fertilizer to Nandi's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.

Nandi County is well suited to Tangerine, scoring 79/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.17 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 6–7.5 band Tangerine prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.37 g/kg), phosphorus (26.4 mg/kg) and potassium (207 mg/kg) all meet Tangerine's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly clay loam soils suit Tangerine, which favours loam. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Tangerine is the #57 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Nandi County. At current prices (about KES 60/kg) and a typical 10,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Tangerine crop here can gross roughly KES 600,000 per acre.

79Suitability score

Soil & climate match

FactorNandi soilTangerine needsStatus
pH6.1767.5OK
Nitrogen1.37 g/kgmin 1.2 g/kgOK
Phosphorus26.4 mg/kgmin 20 mg/kgOK
Potassium207 mg/kgmin 200 mg/kgOK
Rainfall1,400 mm600–1,200 mmHigh
Altitude1,900 m0–2,100 mOK

Planting calendar for Nandi

Long Rains· MarchMayMain season here

March
Transplanting & Basal
April
Pruning & Top Dressing
May
Flowering & Fruit Set

Short Rains· AugustOctober

August
Transplanting & Basal
September
Pruning & Top Dressing
October
Fruit Development

Top dressing guide

Product
CAN
Timing
Three times per year
Instruction
Split feeding around the drip line; foliar zinc for leaf and fruit quality.
Bags per acre in Nandi
0.50.6

Nandi's nitrogen (1.37 g/kg) already meets Tangerine's 1.2 g/kg requirement, so this is a maintenance rate.

Economics

Market priceKES 60/kg
Expected yield in Nandi9,875 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 592,500/acre
Adjusted for Nandi's 79/100 suitability. Under ideal conditions Tangerine can reach 10,000 kg/acre (~KES 600,000/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(5,700)
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