What to Farm in Bungoma County: Crops, Livestock and Profit
Bungoma ranks 1st for sugarcane and 4th for maize among Kenya's counties. Below is everything the latest national figures record there.
Where Bungoma Leads Kenya
Rank 1 means the biggest producer or herd among counties that report the product.
Sugarcane
92,409 tonnes of sugar
1st of 13 counties
50,628 ha · 20.7% of Kenya
Maize
222,912 tonnes
4th of 47 counties
92,847 ha · 2.4 t per ha · 5.9% of Kenya
Dry beans
45,073 tonnes
5th of 39 counties
63,445 ha · 0.7 t per ha · 5.5% of Kenya
Indigenous chicken
3.1 million birds
6th of 47 counties
5.7% of Kenya
Sweet potatoes
21,612 tonnes
6th of 42 counties
1,613 ha · 13.4 t per ha · 3.2% of Kenya
Finger millet
1,414 tonnes
8th of 27 counties
975 ha · 1.5 t per ha · 3.6% of Kenya
Source: KNBS National Agriculture Production Report 2023 to 2024. Shares compare Bungoma with all of Kenya. Counties report figures to the national team and some years swing sharply.
Crops Grown in Bungoma: 2023 Figures
Area, output and yield for every crop the national report records in Bungoma.
| Crop | Area (ha) | Output | Yield (t per ha) | National rank | Share of Kenya |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sugarcane | 50,628 | 92,409 t sugar | Not given | 1st of 13 | 20.7% |
| Coffee | Not given | 2,573 t clean coffee | Not given | 6th of 32 | 5.3% |
| Cotton | Not given | 55 bales of lint | Not given | 13th of 21 | 0.8% |
| Maize | 92,847 | 222,912 t | 2.4 | 4th of 47 | 5.9% |
| Dry beans | 63,445 | 45,073 t | 0.7 | 5th of 39 | 5.5% |
| Sweet potatoes | 1,613 | 21,612 t | 13.4 | 6th of 42 | 3.2% |
| Finger millet | 975 | 1,414 t | 1.5 | 8th of 27 | 3.6% |
| Irish potatoes | 2,153 | 27,217 t | 12.6 | 13th of 28 | 1.2% |
| Green grams (ndengu) | 237 | 135 t | 0.6 | 18th of 33 | <0.1% |
| Sorghum | 488 | 762 t | 1.6 | 22nd of 41 | 0.4% |
| Cowpeas | 25 | 20 t | 0.8 | 34th of 37 | <0.1% |
Yield is output divided by area. Coffee is the 2022 to 2023 crop year. Sugar, tea and cotton show processed output.
Livestock and Poultry Kept in Bungoma
Numbers kept in Bungoma in 2023, ranked against other counties.
| Animal or bird | Number kept | National rank | Share of Kenya |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dairy cattle | 183,783 | 13th of 47 | 3.3% |
| Beef cattle | 288,165 | 17th of 47 | 1.8% |
| Wool sheep | 1,360 | 17th of 20 | 0.1% |
| Dairy goats | 6,939 | 20th of 47 | 1.2% |
| Hair sheep | 141,092 | 26th of 47 | 0.6% |
| Meat goats | 151,910 | 30th of 47 | 0.4% |
| Rabbits | 40,541 | 6th of 46 | 5.2% |
| Pigs | 18,227 | 11th of 43 | 2.2% |
| Donkeys | 12,754 | 17th of 46 | 0.7% |
| Beehives | 24,965 | 17th of 47 | 1.5% |
| Turkeys | 30,975 | 2nd of 44 | 13.1% |
| Geese | 16,403 | 2nd of 43 | 8.2% |
| Pigeons | 20,211 | 3rd of 28 | 9.0% |
| Ducks | 50,459 | 4th of 45 | 9.6% |
| Guinea fowl | 4,137 | 5th of 38 | 4.8% |
| Indigenous chicken | 3.1 million | 6th of 47 | 5.7% |
| Quails | 302 | 12th of 19 | 1.0% |
| Layers | 56,634 | 25th of 47 | 0.9% |
| Broilers | 21,982 | 28th of 47 | 0.4% |
When to Plant in Bungoma
Bungoma is in a mixed-altitude area. Higher ground has one season: plant March to April and harvest November to December. Medium altitude has two: plant March to April and September to October.
Darker blocks are the main planting months. Lighter blocks are months some farmers also plant.
Source: FEWS NET Kenya country book, citing a 2024 Ministry of Agriculture official. Rain onset is erratic, so planting can stretch from March to May. Windows suit crops of 4 to 7 months. Tea, coffee, macadamia and sugarcane go in at the start of the rains. Altitude changes the pattern inside a county, so ask your sub-county agricultural officer.
Five-Year Trends in Bungoma
Output of the leading products since 2019. Bars compare years, and the dark bar is the latest.
Sugarcane
Up 11% since 2019
tonnes of sugar
Maize
Down 29% since 2019
tonnes
Dry beans
Down 21% since 2019
tonnes
Coffee
Up 18% since 18/19
tonnes of clean coffee
Source: KNBS National Agriculture Production Report 2023 to 2024. Counties report these figures and they can swing from year to year. Read the direction, not one year.
The Main Products in Bungoma
A short read on each of the five strongest products, with the numbers behind it.
Sugarcane
In 2023 Bungoma produced 92,409 tonnes of sugar. That ranks 1st of 13 counties and gives 20.7% of Kenya's output. Output rose 11% between 2019 and 2023. Plant seedlings at the start of the rains. Cane goes to mills such as Nzoia Sugar, Naitiri Sugar. Each mill has a catchment, so register as a grower first.
Maize
In 2023 Bungoma produced 222,912 tonnes of maize. That ranks 4th of 47 counties and gives 5.9% of Kenya's output. Farmers used 92,847 ha, a yield of 2.4 t per ha. That is about 47% above the national average of 1.6. Output fell 29% between 2019 and 2023. Plant in March to April. Markets to check include Bungoma Municipal, Chwele, Kimilili. Compare prices on KAMIS before you sell.
Other leading counties: Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, Narok.
Dry beans
In 2023 Bungoma produced 45,073 tonnes of dry beans. That ranks 5th of 39 counties and gives 5.5% of Kenya's output. Farmers used 63,445 ha, a yield of 0.7 t per ha. That is close to the national average of 0.7. Output fell 21% between 2019 and 2023. Plant in March to April. Markets to check include Bungoma Municipal, Chwele, Kimilili. Compare prices on KAMIS before you sell.
Indigenous chicken
Bungoma recorded about 3.1 million indigenous chicken in 2023. That ranks 6th of 47 counties and gives 5.7% of Kenya's total. Check farm gate prices on KAMIS and ask your sub-county agricultural office about buyers.
Coffee
In 2023 Bungoma produced 2,573 tonnes of clean coffee. That ranks 6th of 32 counties and gives 5.3% of Kenya's output. Output rose 18% between 2018/19 and 2022/23. Plant seedlings at the start of the rains. The Coffee Directorate lists 46 cooperative societies and 46 factories here. Deliver cherry through your society.
Dairy cattle
Bungoma recorded about 183,783 dairy cattle in 2023. That ranks 13th of 47 counties and gives 3.3% of Kenya's total. Milk outlets include Naitiri FCS, Cherangany Dairy. Most accept milk only from registered members or suppliers.
Where to Sell in Bungoma
Buyers, factories and markets to check first. Each one is a lead, not a promise.
Confirm before delivering. Every name here is a lead from a research directory compiled on 8 November 2026. Operators, catchments and rules change. We have not checked each one.
How to find a buyer in Bungoma
- Check farm gate and wholesale prices on KAMIS. It covers five markets in every county.
- Ask the county cooperative officer which registered societies buy your product.
- Visit the buyer first. Ask for the grade, price, payment date and who pays transport.
- Start with one small delivery before you commit your harvest.
Coffee
The Coffee Directorate Year Book 2022/23 records 46 cooperative societies running 46 factories in Bungoma.
Millers named for the area:
- Mt. Elgon Coffee Mill (Mt. Elgon region)
Access: most cherry moves through a cooperative society. Millers provide milling and are not automatic cherry buyers.
Sugarcane
Mills listed for Bungoma:
- Nzoia Sugar
- Naitiri Sugar
Access: a mill buys cane from its own catchment. Ask about grower registration, harvest dates and transport before you plant.
Dairy
Dairy outlets listed for Bungoma:
- Naitiri FCS
- Cherangany Dairy
Access: many outlets take milk only from registered members or suppliers. Ask about membership and price before you deliver.
Grain and pulses
National buyers and channels:
- National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depots
- Unga Group
- Pembe Flour Mills
- Mombasa Maize Millers
- Capwell Industries
- Kitui Flour Mills
Confirm grades, bag sizes and payment terms before you deliver.
Produce markets
| Market | Commonly traded |
|---|---|
| Bungoma Municipal | sugarcane, maize, beans, bananas, sweet potatoes |
| Chwele | maize, beans, onions, tomatoes, cabbages |
| Kimilili | maize, beans, sugarcane, sweet potatoes, bananas |
| Malakisi | maize, beans, sugarcane, bananas, coffee |
| Tongaren | maize, beans, sunflower, vegetables, potatoes |
| Webuye | sugarcane, maize, beans, bananas, cassava |
Know a buyer or a market in Bungoma that should be listed? Tell us on WhatsApp. Please send the business name, product, location and how farmers can sell to it.
Priority Value Chains in Bungoma
The national strategy backs these products in Bungoma. Open a guide to see how each one is farmed.
Rain and Soil in Bungoma County
Bungoma is in the Western zone of the national strategy. These notes describe the whole zone, not one farm. Parts of Bungoma are in AEZ Zone II: high potential land with at least 1,000 mm of rain.
- Crops the zone favours
- Maize, French beans, sugar, groundnuts, sweet potato and Irish potatoes.
- Livestock and fish
- Dairy, poultry and fish.
- Rain and soil
- Two medium rainy seasons. Red soils of medium to high fertility.
- Farming households
- About 1.6 million farming households
- Typical rainfall
- 1,200 to 1,800 mm
- Typical farm size
- 0.5 to 5 acres
- Typical household income
- about KES 15,000 a month
Income, farm size and rainfall are 2019 strategy estimates. Read the AEZ guide to see how zones are set.
Test the Profit of Bungoma’s Top Products
Pick a product. See revenue, costs and break-even for your acreage in seconds.
What These Figures Do Not Show
Fruit and vegetables
The report has no county figures for tomatoes, avocados or onions. Check local buyers first.
Fish
Fish output is reported by lake and sea, not by county. See the fish guide.
Your ward
Soil and rain change inside a county. Ask your sub-county agricultural officer.
Your profit
Output is not profit. Run your own costs in the profit calculator.
Questions About Farming in Bungoma
What crops grow best in Bungoma County?
Bungoma ranks 1st for sugarcane and 4th for maize. The biggest crop areas are maize (92,847 ha), dry beans (63,445 ha), sugarcane (50,628 ha).
Which livestock is common in Bungoma County?
Bungoma ranks 2nd for turkeys, 2nd for geese, 3rd for pigeons. The table above lists every animal and bird recorded.
Which fruits, vegetables and fish suit Bungoma County?
The national report has no county figures for these. See the strategy list for Bungoma above, then check local buyers and water.
What agro-ecological zone is Bungoma County in?
The national strategy places Bungoma in the Western zone. Our AEZ guide explains how zones, rain and soil shape what you can grow.
How do I work out profit in Bungoma County?
Open the farm profit calculator, choose your product, then enter your acres, yield and local price.
Does this cover my sub-county or ward?
No. The national figures stop at county level. Soil and rain change across a county, so ask your sub-county agricultural officer.
Where do the figures come from?
The KNBS National Agriculture Production Report 2023 to 2024 is the source. Figures are for 2023, and coffee uses crop year 2022 to 2023.
Ask About Farming in Bungoma
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Plan, Fund and Scale Your Farm in Bungoma
Farm business plan
A costed plan for your acreage, market and cash flow. Banks and Saccos ask for one. Ask for a quote.
Finance for your farm
Learn what lenders ask for, which securities they accept and how to apply. We can help you prepare.
County agribusiness brief
For banks, programmes, investors and county teams. A short paid brief on Bungoma: products, buyers, risks and gaps.
About This Page
Updated 8 November 2026. Production figures are 2023 data from the national report. Buyer and season notes were compiled on the same date.
How we made this page
County output, area and rank come from the KNBS National Agriculture Production Report 2023 to 2024. Rank compares Bungoma with the counties that report the product. Yield is output divided by area. Trend charts use the same report’s five-year tables.
Planting seasons follow the FEWS NET Kenya country book, which cites a 2024 Ministry of Agriculture official. Zone details come from the 2019 national strategy (ASTGS), explained in our AEZ guide.
Buyer names come from four sources. One is third-party research for Agcenture. The others are the Coffee Directorate Year Book, Brookside’s supplier page and the Kenya Dairy Board register. Prices come from KAMIS. We have not verified each buyer. Tell us if something is wrong.
Written and maintained by the Agcenture editorial team. Report a correction on WhatsApp.
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