Panch Mahals

Most soil here is short of boron. Maize and rice cover the most farmland.
Plan a farm here Crops that suit it
Soil score
8/10
Good for most crops
Rain
870 mm
a year, most of it Jul⁠–⁠Sep
Temperature
12–41 °C
Hottest in May, coolest nights in January
Main crop
Maize
1.9 lakh acres sown

Soil

What soil tests across the district found, nutrient by nutrient.

8

out of 10

Soil score

Good

Short in most fields here: nitrogen and boron.

For most crops. How the soil score works

This shows what soil in this area tends to be like. Your own field can be different. Get it tested at a soil testing lab before deciding.

  • Nitrogen

    From 26,816 soil tests

    Poor

    Low 62% Medium 38%

    6 in 10 soil tests here came out low

    If your field is low: add about a quarter more urea than the usual dose, in two or three splits. A pulse crop in rotation also adds nitrogen.

    What this means

    Grows leaves and stems. Short soil gives pale, yellow leaves.

    Low under 280 kg/ha Medium 280–560 kg/ha High over 560 kg/ha

    Healthy soil has 280 kg/ha or more.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place LowMediumHigh
    Here 62% 38% 0%
    Gujarat 81% 18% 1%
    India 65% 29% 6%

  • Phosphorus

    From 26,816 soil tests

    Good

    Low 16% Medium 43% High 41%

    2 in 10 soil tests here came out low

    What this means

    Builds roots and helps the crop flower and fill grain.

    Low under 10 kg/ha Medium 10–25 kg/ha High over 25 kg/ha

    Healthy soil has 10 kg/ha or more.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place LowMediumHigh
    Here 16% 43% 41%
    Gujarat 9% 24% 67%
    India 13% 41% 45%

  • Potassium

    From 26,816 soil tests

    Good

    Low 6% Medium 63% High 31%

    1 in 10 soil tests here came out low

    What this means

    Fills grain and fruit, and helps crops stand drought and disease.

    Low under 110 kg/ha Medium 110–280 kg/ha High over 280 kg/ha

    Healthy soil has 110 kg/ha or more.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place LowMediumHigh
    Here 6% 63% 31%
    Gujarat 4% 33% 62%
    India 14% 53% 33%

  • Organic carbon

    From 26,816 soil tests

    Good

    Low 6% Medium 20% High 74%

    Most soil tests here came out high

    What this means

    Shows how much organic matter the soil has. It keeps soil loose, holds water and feeds the crop slowly.

    Low under 0.5% Medium 0.5–0.75% High over 0.75%

    Healthy soil has 0.5% or more.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place LowMediumHigh
    Here 6% 20% 74%
    Gujarat 34% 35% 31%
    India 49% 28% 23%

  • pH

    From 26,816 soil tests

    Good

    Neutral 99% Alkaline 1%

    Almost every soil test here came out neutral

    What this means

    How sour (acidic) or alkaline the soil is. It decides which nutrients roots can take up.

    Acidic Neutral Alkaline

    In these tests, neutral means about pH 6 to 8, which suits most crops; acidic is below about 6 and alkaline above about 8.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place AcidicNeutralAlkaline
    Here 0% 99% 1%
    Gujarat 0% 98% 2%
    India 11% 86% 2%

  • Salt

    From 26,816 soil tests

    Good

    Not salty 97% Salty 3%

    Almost no soil tests here came out salty

    What this means

    Salt in the soil, shown as EC on the card. Salt makes it hard for roots to drink.

    Not salty Salty

    Under 1 dS/m is fine. Between 1 and 4, only crops that can't take salt lose yield. Above 4 harms most crops.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place Not saltySalty
    Here 97% 3%
    Gujarat 86% 14%
    India 96% 4%

  • Sulphur

    From 26,816 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 35% Enough 65%

    3 in 10 soil tests here came out short

    If your field is short: use single super phosphate instead of DAP, or add about 100 kg of gypsum per acre before sowing.

    What this means

    Makes oil in oilseeds and protein in pulses.

    Short under 10 ppm Enough 10 ppm or more

    Healthy soil has 10 ppm or more.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 35% 65%
    Gujarat 25% 75%
    India 24% 76%

  • Zinc

    From 26,815 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 47% Enough 53%

    5 in 10 soil tests here came out short

    If your field is short: mix 10 kg of zinc sulphate per acre into the soil before sowing. One dose lasts two or three seasons.

    What this means

    Needed for growth and healthy leaves. Rice and wheat often run short.

    Short under 0.6 ppm Enough 0.6 ppm or more

    Healthy soil has 0.6 ppm or more.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 47% 53%
    Gujarat 39% 61%
    India 35% 65%

  • Iron

    From 26,816 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 25% Enough 75%

    3 in 10 soil tests here came out short

    If your field is short: spray ferrous sulphate, 5 g per litre of water, when young leaves turn yellow.

    What this means

    Keeps young leaves green.

    Short under 4.5 ppm Enough 4.5 ppm or more

    Healthy soil has 4.5 ppm or more.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 25% 75%
    Gujarat 32% 68%
    India 24% 76%

  • Copper

    From 26,814 soil tests

    Good

    Short 3% Enough 97%

    Almost every soil test here had enough

    What this means

    Helps the crop set seed and resist disease.

    Short under 0.2 ppm Enough 0.2 ppm or more

    Healthy soil has 0.2 ppm or more.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 3% 97%
    Gujarat 7% 93%
    India 5% 95%

  • Manganese

    From 26,816 soil tests

    Good

    Short 7% Enough 93%

    1 in 10 soil tests here came out short

    What this means

    Helps leaves make food from sunlight.

    Short under 2 ppm Enough 2 ppm or more

    Healthy soil has 2 ppm or more.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 7% 93%
    Gujarat 8% 92%
    India 12% 88%

  • Boron

    From 26,816 soil tests

    Poor

    Short 96% Enough 4%

    Almost every soil test here came out short

    If your field is short: mix 4 kg of borax per acre into the soil before sowing.

    What this means

    Needed for flowers to set seed and fruit.

    Short under 0.5 ppm Enough 0.5 ppm or more

    Healthy soil has 0.5 ppm or more.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 96% 4%
    Gujarat 51% 49%
    India 44% 56%

Fixes are the usual advice. Your Soil Health Card or nearest Krishi Vigyan Kendra gives the exact dose for your field.

Source: Soil Health Card – soil nutrient analysis (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare). 2023-24 & 2024-25. 26,816 samples.

Climate

Rain and temperature through the year, from 24 years of weather records.

Rain

About 870 mm of rain a year

In a normal year. A dry year brings about 740 mm.

Temperature

Hottest in May: days about 41 °C, nights 28 °C

Coolest in January: days about 28 °C, nights 12 °C.

Typical of the district's villages; a farm much higher or lower can be a few degrees cooler or warmer.

Source: IMD gridded daily rainfall (0.25°); IMD gridded daily max/min temperature (1°); TerraClimate 1991–2020 temperature normals (about 4 km), where each district's villages are.

Crops that suit Panch Mahals

Judged on the soil, rain and temperature here, whether or not they're grown here now. Best bets first: what each could earn an acre before costs, with risky crops moved down.

Sowing Growing

Money a season, before costs. Bar: compared with the best crop here.

What grows here

Each crop's share of the district's farmland in recent years, with its yield. Tap a crop to see when it's sown in the state and where it grows best.

Yield against other districts

Maize

Yield is better than 16% of districts growing it.

Rice

Yield is better than 12% of districts growing it.

Tur (Arhar)

Yield is better than 91% of districts growing it.

0 5 q 10 q 15 q
1997-98 2024-25
Latest 6.9 quintals an acre in 2024-25

Source: Crop area, production & yield – district-wise (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare); Crop area, production & yield – UPAG (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare). 2020-21 to 2024-25.

Compared with districts like this one

What this district harvests, next to districts whose soil tests look alike and whose rain and warmth are close to its own.

Maize

Here 7.4 quintals an acre
Similar districts 11 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 11 quintals an acre of maize, about 47% more than the 7.4 quintals an acre here.

Rice

Here 10 quintals of paddy an acre
Similar districts 13 quintals of paddy an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 13 quintals an acre of paddy, about 25% more than the 10 quintals an acre here.

Tur (Arhar)

Here 6.0 quintals an acre
Similar districts 3.6 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 3.6 quintals an acre of tur (arhar); here it's 6.0 quintals an acre.

Yields also depend on water, weather, seeds and farming practice, not only soil.

Source: Soil Health Card – soil nutrient analysis (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare); Crop area, production & yield – district-wise (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare); Crop area, production & yield – UPAG (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare).

Who farms here

Farms 2016-17
1.5 lakh
Average farm size 2016-17
3.6 acres
Young farmers (18–30) 2016-17
2%
Farmers with secondary school or more 2016-17
15%
Farmland that is irrigated 2016-17
13%
Farmers who took a bank or co-op loan 2016-17
21%
Farmers who had their soil tested 2016-17
39%
Farmers using certified seed 2016-17
68%

Source: Agricultural Input Survey (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare). 2016-17.

Districts like this one

Places whose soil tests look most like this district's, with rain and warmth close to its own, and what they grow.

Source: Soil Health Card – soil nutrient analysis (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare).

Blocks in this district

Open a block for its soil report and the villages in it.