What grows in Eritrea
The 2026 season in Eritrea
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | June 2026 to September 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 408 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 33 mm in the driest of 58 districts to about 656 mm in the wettest |
| Rainy seasons, district by district | Of 58 districts: one rainy season in 40 and two rainy seasons in 1 |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 408 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.8 °C over the growing months. Heat makes the same rain do less, so a dry spell bites sooner: do not plant late, and shade or mulch what you can. |
| What that supports | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 5 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 62% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 190 mm · July to September |
|---|---|
| 19% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 91 growing days · about 450 mm · June to September |
| 9% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 86 growing days · about 570 mm · June to September |
| 3% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 170 mm |
| 3% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 340 mm · July to September |
last updated 17 September 2026 · from all 58 areas within it
Eritrea's regions
What grows here
-
Jute mallowFavourableGrows well in 35 of 58 districts
Plant 12 Jul 2027 – 1 Aug 2027 opens in 41 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
8.9–10.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
Common beanFavourableGrows well in 34 of 58 districts
Plant 16 Jun 2027 – 6 Jul 2027 opens in 37 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
1.4–1.8 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
WatermelonFavourableGrows well in 29 of 58 districts
Plant 26 Jun 2027 – 6 Jul 2027 opens in 38 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
19.4–24.9 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH outside the crop's rangeCorrect soil pH (acidifier) -
African nightshadeFavourableGrows well in 33 of 58 districts
Plant 3 Jul 2027 – 13 Jul 2027 opens in 39 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
10.3–13.4 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
Green gramFavourableGrows well in 24 of 58 districts
Plant 28 Oct 2026 – 27 Nov 2026 opens in 4 weeks
based on the rains it usually gets
0.8–1.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableNot enough water in season -
Spider plantFavourableGrows well in 32 of 58 districts
Plant 26 Jun 2027 – 16 Jul 2027 opens in 38 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 6.8 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH outside the crop's rangeCorrect soil pH (acidifier)
Rain-fed. These dates are worked out from each place's own rainfall, for a field watered by the season — with irrigation a window can open earlier, close later, or come round more than once a year. Check your own field under What grows, or get the Divisi app for a calendar dated to your farm.
What grows here with irrigation
-
GuavaFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 58 of 58 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 28.5 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSteep slope -
BananaFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 58 of 58 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 49.8 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH outside the crop's rangeCorrect soil pH (acidifier) -
MandarinFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 53 of 58 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 25.3 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH outside the crop's rangeCorrect soil pH (acidifier) -
SugarcaneFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 39 of 58 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 97.6 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSteep slope -
Sweet orangeFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 52 of 58 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 29.7 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
TaroFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 34 of 58 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 24.9 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimumSteep slope
Plan the season, not just check it
The crops above are gathered from every district in Eritrea, and the ground under them is not all the same. Your own soil, slope and rainfall will shift the dates — the Divisi app works them out for your field, and dates each job that follows.
Or check your field firstThis calendar moves
Planting windows shift with the forecast. Leave your email and we'll send what changed, and a note when planting time nears — a couple of emails a month at most.
Frequently asked questions
What crops grow well in Eritrea?
Jute mallow, Common bean, Watermelon, African nightshade, Green gram all rate well in Eritrea — scored against its own rainfall, soil and terrain rather than a national average.
When should I plant Jute mallow in Eritrea?
In Eritrea the window for Jute mallow runs 12 Jul 2027 to 1 Aug 2027.
Is there a farming app that works in Eritrea?
Divisi does. It reads Eritrea's own rainfall, soil and terrain rather than a national average, so the planting dates and crop shortlist on this page are the same ones the app works out for a field here — then dates each job for that field, and keeps working with no signal.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Eritrea, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.