Growing Cotton in West Pokot

Soil suitability analysis based on West Pokot's nutrient profile

West Pokot County is well suited to Cotton, scoring 82/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.04 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 5.8–8 band Cotton prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.67 g/kg), phosphorus (24.8 mg/kg) and potassium (211 mg/kg) all meet Cotton's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. Cotton prefers clay soils, while West Pokot is largely sandy loam, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. At current prices (about KES 68/kg) and a typical 900 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Cotton crop here can gross roughly KES 61,200 per acre.