Growing Green Grams in Taita Taveta

Soil suitability analysis based on Taita Taveta's nutrient profile

Quick answer

Yes — Taita Taveta is well suited to Green Grams. Taita Taveta's soil (pH 6.64, near-neutral) gives Green Grams a suitability score of 92/100. Match fertilizer to Taita Taveta's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.

Taita Taveta County is well suited to Green Grams, scoring 92/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.64 — neutral and inside the 5.5–8 band Green Grams prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.97 g/kg), phosphorus (12.9 mg/kg) and potassium (104 mg/kg) all meet Green Grams's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly loam soils suit Green Grams, which favours sandy loam. At current prices (about KES 120/kg) and a typical 400 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Green Grams crop here can gross roughly KES 48,000 per acre.

92Suitability score

Soil & climate match

FactorTaita Taveta soilGreen Grams needsStatus
pH6.645.58OK
Nitrogen0.97 g/kgmin 0.5 g/kgOK
Phosphorus12.9 mg/kgmin 6 mg/kgOK
Potassium104 mg/kgmin 100 mg/kgOK
Rainfall500 mm250–700 mmOK
Altitude700 m0–1,800 mOK

Top dressing guide

Product
None
Timing
None required
Instruction
Green Grams fix atmospheric Nitrogen. No top dressing needed. Inoculate seed with Rhizobium before planting.
Bags per Acre
0

Recommended seed varieties

N26Dryland/Medium
KALRO · 60-65 days · 3-5 bags/acre
Early maturing; tolerant to drought; popular in eastern Kenya.
KS 20Medium
KALRO · 65-75 days · 4-6 bags/acre
High yielding; good seed quality; resistant to yellow mosaic virus.

Economics

Market priceKES 120/kg
Expected yield 400 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 48,000/acre

Preferred textureSandy Loam

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