Growing Sweet Corn in West Pokot
Soil suitability analysis based on West Pokot's nutrient profile
West Pokot County is well suited to Sweet Corn, scoring 91/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.04 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 5.8–7 band Sweet Corn prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.67 g/kg), phosphorus (24.8 mg/kg) and potassium (211 mg/kg) all meet Sweet Corn's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Sweet Corn, which favours loam. At current prices (about KES 40/kg) and a typical 8,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Sweet Corn crop here can gross roughly KES 320,000 per acre.
Suitability score
Soil & climate match
| Factor | West Pokot soil | Sweet Corn needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.04 | 5.8–7 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 1.67 g/kg | min 1.2 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 24.8 mg/kg | min 20 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 211 mg/kg | min 150 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 1,000 mm | 500–1,200 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 1,500 m | 0–2,200 m | OK |
Planting calendar
Long Rains
Month 1
Land Prep & Planting & Basal
Month 2
Top Dressing & Weeding
Month 3
Cob Fill & Harvest
Short Rains
Month 1
Land Prep & Planting & Basal
Month 2
Top Dressing & Weeding
Month 3
Cob Fill & Harvest
Top dressing guide
Product
CAN
Timing
Week 4 to 6 at knee-high
Instruction
Top-dress at knee-high for cob fill. Harvest at milk stage for sweetness.
Bags per Acre
0.5
Economics
Market priceKES 40/kg
Expected yield 8,000 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 320,000/acre
Preferred textureLoam
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