Growing Millet in Taita Taveta
Soil suitability analysis based on Taita Taveta's nutrient profile
Taita Taveta County is well suited to Millet, scoring 92/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.64 — neutral and inside the 5–8 band Millet prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.97 g/kg), phosphorus (12.9 mg/kg) and potassium (104 mg/kg) all meet Millet's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. Millet prefers sandy soils, while Taita Taveta is largely loam, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. At current prices (about KES 58/kg) and a typical 600 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Millet crop here can gross roughly KES 34,800 per acre.
Suitability score
Soil match analysis
| Nutrient | Taita Taveta soil | Millet needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.64 | 5–8 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 0.97 g/kg | min 0.5 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 12.9 mg/kg | min 6 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 104 mg/kg | min 100 mg/kg | OK |
Recommended seed varieties
Katumani MilletDryland
KALRO · 75-90 days · 6-8 bags/acre
Early maturing; highly drought tolerant; good grain quality.
EMBU CompositeMedium
KALRO · 85-100 days · 8-10 bags/acre
Higher yielding; suited to medium altitude rainfall areas.
Economics
Market priceKES 58/kg
Expected yield600 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 34,800/acre
Preferred textureSandy
Fertilizer prices
DAP
KES 2,500(6,500)
CAN
KES 2,500(4,500)
NPK 17:17:17
KES 2,500(5,600)
Urea
KES 2,500(5,500)
Lime
KES 1,500(1,800)
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag