Divisi
When to plant Eggplant in Rafah
North Sinai, Egypt
Eggplant (also called aubergine, brinjal or garden egg) is a bushy, warm-season cousin of tomato, potato and pepper — the nightshade family — grown for its glossy fruit: purple, white or green, round or long.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 2 Mar 2027 – 9 Aug 2027 opens in 22 weeks |
| Expected harvest | about 43.9 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 30 Jun 2027 to 5 Feb 2028, depending on the planting date |
| Ready to harvest | 120–180 days after planting |
| Work it takes | 125–252 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 2 Mar 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Rafah is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 9 Aug 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Rafah
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 76% |
For eggplant in Rafah, the soil is the tightest of the three at 76%. This is the one you can actually move. Lime raises a sour soil, manure and compost lift what it holds, and both work within a season or two — money spent here changes the answer.
The 2026 season in Rafah
| Rain in a typical year | About 158 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 158 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| What that supports | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it, warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth |
| Ground this covers | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 3% of this area. |
| 95% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth no rain-fed season · about 140 mm |
|---|---|
| 3% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 102 growing days · about 200 mm |
| 3% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 107 growing days · about 220 mm · November to February |
last updated 18 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What eggplant needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam or loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 6.8 |
| Spacing | 90 cm between rows, 60 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | potassium, nitrogen and calcium |
What it takes to grow eggplant in Rafah
| Planting material | About 20,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 132 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 37 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 220 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 | 125–252 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a eggplant 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 Eggplant with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Rafah 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.
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 eggplant grow well in Rafah?
Rafah rates as favourable for eggplant.
When should I plant eggplant in Rafah?
Typically 2 Mar 2027 to 9 Aug 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Rafah, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
