Growing Pineapple in West Pokot
Soil suitability analysis based on West Pokot's nutrient profile
West Pokot County is well suited to Pineapple, scoring 88/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.04 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 4.5–6.5 band Pineapple prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.67 g/kg), phosphorus (24.8 mg/kg) and potassium (211 mg/kg) all meet Pineapple's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Pineapple, which favours sandy loam. At current prices (about KES 35/kg) and a typical 30,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Pineapple crop here can gross roughly KES 1,050,000 per acre.
Suitability score
Soil match analysis
| Nutrient | West Pokot soil | Pineapple needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.04 | 4.5–6.5 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 1.67 g/kg | min 0.8 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 24.8 mg/kg | min 6 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 211 mg/kg | min 200 mg/kg | OK |
Planting calendar
Long Rains
Month 1
Ratoon sucker planting & Basal NPK
Month 2
Weed Control & Foliar Feed
Month 3
Fruit Development Monitoring
Short Rains
Month 1
Top Dressing & Weed Control
Month 2
Flower Induction (ethephon if needed)
Month 3
Fruit Fill & Disease Scouting
Dry Season
Month 1
Harvesting & Ratoon Management
Month 2
Irrigation & Top Dressing
Month 3
New Sucker Selection & Planting
Top dressing guide
Product
CAN
Timing
Months 3, 6 and 9 after planting
Instruction
Split-apply CAN at the leaf axils; add Sulphate of Potash (not MOP — pineapple is chloride-sensitive)
Bags per Acre
1
Recommended seed varieties
Smooth CayenneCoastal/Medium
Del Monte/KALRO · 450-540 days · 36–49.5 tons/acre
Main processing variety; cylindrical fruit; high juice; grown by Del Monte Thika.
MD2 (Gold)Coastal/Medium
Del Monte · 420-510 days · 36–49.5 tons/acre
Super-sweet hybrid; golden flesh; premium fresh export; high vitamin C.
Queen VictoriaCoastal
KALRO · 450-540 days · 27–40.5 tons/acre
Small sweet fruit; popular fresh local market; tolerant to coastal conditions.
Economics
Market priceKES 35/kg
Expected yield30,000 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 1,050,000/acre
Preferred textureSandy Loam
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