What to Farm in Migori County: Crops, Livestock and Profit
Migori ranks 1st for indigenous chicken and 2nd for sweet potatoes among Kenya's counties. Below is everything the latest national figures record there.
Where Migori Leads Kenya
Rank 1 means the biggest producer or herd among counties that report the product.
Indigenous chicken
4.6 million birds
1st of 47 counties
8.5% of Kenya
Sweet potatoes
152,024 tonnes
2nd of 42 counties
10,078 ha · 15.1 t per ha · 22.8% of Kenya
Finger millet
1,186 tonnes
10th of 27 counties
932 ha · 1.3 t per ha · 3.0% of Kenya
Beef cattle
441,898 animals
10th of 47 counties
2.7% of Kenya
Sorghum
3,922 tonnes
10th of 41 counties
5,034 ha · 0.8 t per ha · 2.0% of Kenya
Pigeon peas
124 tonnes
10th of 19 counties
155 ha · 0.8 t per ha · under 0.1% of Kenya
Source: KNBS National Agriculture Production Report 2023 to 2024. Shares compare Migori with all of Kenya. Counties report figures to the national team and some years swing sharply.
Crops Grown in Migori: 2023 Figures
Area, output and yield for every crop the national report records in Migori.
| Crop | Area (ha) | Output | Yield (t per ha) | National rank | Share of Kenya |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sugarcane | 17,498 | 31,938 t sugar | Not given | 6th of 13 | 7.2% |
| Cotton | Not given | 1 bales of lint | Not given | 21st of 21 | <0.1% |
| Coffee | Not given | 58 t clean coffee | Not given | 22nd of 32 | 0.1% |
| Sweet potatoes | 10,078 | 152,024 t | 15.1 | 2nd of 42 | 22.8% |
| Sorghum | 5,034 | 3,922 t | 0.8 | 10th of 41 | 2.0% |
| Finger millet | 932 | 1,186 t | 1.3 | 10th of 27 | 3.0% |
| Pigeon peas | 155 | 124 t | 0.8 | 10th of 19 | <0.1% |
| Maize | 78,567 | 101,474 t | 1.3 | 14th of 47 | 2.7% |
| Dry beans | 36,199 | 23,267 t | 0.6 | 14th of 39 | 2.8% |
| Green grams (ndengu) | 221 | 213 t | 1.0 | 15th of 33 | 0.1% |
| Cowpeas | 151 | 126 t | 0.8 | 22nd 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 Migori
Numbers kept in Migori in 2023, ranked against other counties.
| Animal or bird | Number kept | National rank | Share of Kenya |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beef cattle | 441,898 | 10th of 47 | 2.7% |
| Hair sheep | 310,413 | 15th of 47 | 1.4% |
| Meat goats | 584,943 | 19th of 47 | 1.7% |
| Dairy goats | 3,579 | 30th of 47 | 0.6% |
| Dairy cattle | 13,334 | 34th of 47 | 0.2% |
| Pigs | 7,339 | 22nd of 43 | 0.9% |
| Donkeys | 4,462 | 29th of 46 | 0.3% |
| Rabbits | 4,326 | 33rd of 46 | 0.6% |
| Beehives | 5,071 | 40th of 47 | 0.3% |
| Indigenous chicken | 4.6 million | 1st of 47 | 8.5% |
| Quails | 2,625 | 4th of 19 | 8.6% |
| Guinea fowl | 3,062 | 8th of 38 | 3.6% |
| Pigeons | 1,805 | 11th of 28 | 0.8% |
| Ducks | 7,143 | 19th of 45 | 1.4% |
| Geese | 1,189 | 32nd of 43 | 0.6% |
| Layers | 20,500 | 36th of 47 | 0.3% |
| Turkeys | 240 | 40th of 44 | 0.1% |
| Broilers | 2,817 | 41st of 47 | <0.1% |
When to Plant in Migori
Migori is in a two-season area. Two seasons. Long rains: plant March to April, harvest July to August. Short rains: plant September to October, harvest December to January.
Blocks show the usual months.
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 Migori
Output of the leading products since 2019. Bars compare years, and the dark bar is the latest.
Sweet potatoes
Up 28% since 2019
tonnes
Sugarcane
Down 8% since 2019
tonnes of sugar
Finger millet
Up 3% since 2019
tonnes
Dry beans
Down 4% since 2019
tonnes
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 Migori
A short read on each of the five strongest products, with the numbers behind it.
Indigenous chicken
Migori recorded about 4.6 million indigenous chicken in 2023. That ranks 1st of 47 counties and gives 8.5% of Kenya's total. Check farm gate prices on KAMIS and ask your sub-county agricultural office about buyers.
Sweet potatoes
In 2023 Migori produced 152,024 tonnes of sweet potatoes. That ranks 2nd of 42 counties and gives 22.8% of Kenya's output. Farmers used 10,078 ha, a yield of 15.1 t per ha. That is about 23% above the national average of 12.3. Output rose 28% between 2019 and 2023. Plant in March to April and September to October. Sell through local markets, traders and millers. Compare prices on KAMIS before you sell.
Sugarcane
In 2023 Migori produced 31,938 tonnes of sugar. That ranks 6th of 13 counties and gives 7.2% of Kenya's output. Output fell 8% between 2019 and 2023. Plant seedlings at the start of the rains. Cane goes to mills such as Sony Sugar (Awendo). Each mill has a catchment, so register as a grower first.
Finger millet
In 2023 Migori produced 1,186 tonnes of finger millet. That ranks 10th of 27 counties and gives 3.0% of Kenya's output. Farmers used 932 ha, a yield of 1.3 t per ha. That is about 56% above the national average of 0.8. Output rose 3% between 2019 and 2023. Plant in March to April and September to October. Sell through local markets, traders and millers. Compare prices on KAMIS before you sell.
Beef cattle
Migori recorded about 441,898 beef cattle in 2023. That ranks 10th of 47 counties and gives 2.7% of Kenya's total. Sell through livestock markets and traders. Ask the county livestock office for market days.
Where to Sell in Migori
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 Migori
- 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 8 cooperative societies running 8 factories in Migori.
Access: most cherry moves through a cooperative society. Millers provide milling and are not automatic cherry buyers.
Sugarcane
Mills listed for Migori:
- Sony Sugar (Awendo)
Access: a mill buys cane from its own catchment. Ask about grower registration, harvest dates and transport before you plant.
Livestock
No named livestock market is in our directory for Migori yet.
Ask the county livestock or veterinary office for market names and days. Never move animals without the right permits.
Fish
Landing points: Muhuru Bay, Sori and other Lake Victoria landing points.
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.
Know a buyer or a market in Migori 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 Migori
The national strategy backs these products in Migori. Open a guide to see how each one is farmed.
Horticulture, Fish, Beef, Honey.
Rain and Soil in Migori County
Migori is in the Western zone of the national strategy. These notes describe the whole zone, not one farm.
- 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 Migori’s Top Products
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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 Migori
What crops grow best in Migori County?
Migori ranks 1st for indigenous chicken and 2nd for sweet potatoes. The biggest crop areas are maize (78,567 ha), dry beans (36,199 ha), sugarcane (17,498 ha).
Which livestock is common in Migori County?
Migori ranks 1st for indigenous chicken, 4th for quails, 8th for guinea fowl. The table above lists every animal and bird recorded.
Which fruits, vegetables and fish suit Migori County?
The national report has no county figures for these. See the strategy list for Migori above, then check local buyers and water.
What agro-ecological zone is Migori County in?
The national strategy places Migori 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 Migori 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 Migori
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Plan, Fund and Scale Your Farm in Migori
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 Migori: 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 Migori 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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