Divisi
When to plant Cashew in West Guji
Oromia, Ethiopia
Cashew is a tough evergreen tree that lives and bears nuts for 20 years or more.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant (establish) | 22 Feb 2027 – 23 Apr 2027 opens in 21 weeks | 1 Jan 2026 – 31 Oct 2026 |
| Expected harvest | about 1.3 t/ha | same |
| Bearing cycle | 60–90 days per crop once the plant is established. Planting to the first harvest takes longer than one cycle. | |
| Work it takes | 57–127 days per hectare, by hand | |
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.
If you only get one chance to plant, aim for around 14 Mar 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for West Guji leans wet. Plant at the early end of the window, and make sure water can drain off the field — a wet year does more damage through waterlogging than through the rain itself.
Planting after 23 Apr 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in West Guji
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For cashew in West Guji, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 60%. You cannot flatten it, but you can farm it: plant along the contour rather than up and down, ridge or tie ridges to hold water on the slope, and expect shallower rooting than the crop would manage on flat ground.
The 2026 season in West Guji
| Rainy seasons | Two each year — two chances to plant |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | March 2026 to June 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 803 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — November and December look heavier than usual. Make sure water can drain off the field; a wet year does more damage through waterlogging and disease than through the rain itself. |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.2 °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 full main crop, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 23% of this area. |
| 23% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 207 growing days · about 810 mm · March to June |
|---|---|
| 15% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 153 growing days · about 600 mm · March to June |
| 14% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 250 growing days · about 740 mm · March to November |
| 12% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 308 growing days · about 1,220 mm · February to December |
last updated 16 September 2026
What cashew needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sand or sandy loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 4.5 and 6.5 |
| Spacing | 800 cm between rows, 800 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | sulphur, zinc and boron |
What it takes to grow cashew in West Guji
| Planting material | About 156 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 46 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 12 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 29 kg per hectare |
| In the shops | A basal compound at planting — Compound D, or an NPK blend — covers the phosphate and potash. A nitrogen top dressing — urea or AN — goes on once the crop is established. |
| Hand work | 57–127 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a cashew crop of that size carries off the field. What you actually apply depends on what your soil already holds — which is what a soil test, or the app's field records, tell you.
What to watch for
Grow Cashew with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes West Guji as a whole — 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.
Cashew in nearby districts
This 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
Will cashew grow well in West Guji?
West Guji rates as favourable for cashew.
When should I plant cashew in West Guji?
Typically 22 Feb 2027 to 23 Apr 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across West Guji, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
