Bhandara

Most soil here is low in nitrogen. Rice and other pulses cover the most farmland.
Plan a farm here Crops that suit it
Soil score
7/10
Okay for most crops
Rain
1,250 mm
a year, most of it Jun⁠–⁠Sep
Temperature
13–43 °C
Hottest in May, coolest nights in December
Main crop
Rice
5.5 lakh acres sown

Soil

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

7

out of 10

Soil score

Okay

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 21,632 soil tests

    Poor

    Low 92% Medium 8%

    9 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 92% 8% 0%
    Maharashtra 86% 13% 1%
    India 65% 29% 6%

  • Phosphorus

    From 21,629 soil tests

    Okay

    Low 46% Medium 46% High 8%

    5 in 10 soil tests here came out low

    If your field is low: add about a quarter more DAP or single super phosphate than the usual dose, at sowing.

    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 46% 46% 8%
    Maharashtra 22% 52% 26%
    India 13% 41% 45%

  • Potassium

    From 21,632 soil tests

    Good

    Low 1% Medium 25% High 74%

    Most soil tests here came out high

    If your field is high: you can use about a quarter less potash than usual.

    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 1% 25% 74%
    Maharashtra 4% 29% 66%
    India 14% 53% 33%

  • Organic carbon

    From 21,630 soil tests

    Okay

    Low 45% Medium 28% High 27%

    4 in 10 soil tests here came out low

    If your field is low: add 4 tonnes of compost or farmyard manure per acre before sowing, and plough crop leftovers back in instead of burning them.

    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 45% 28% 27%
    Maharashtra 55% 25% 20%
    India 49% 28% 23%

  • pH

    From 21,632 soil tests

    Good

    Acidic 7% Neutral 93%

    1 in 10 soil tests here came out acidic

    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 7% 93% 0%
    Maharashtra 2% 95% 2%
    India 11% 86% 2%

  • Salt

    From 21,632 soil tests

    Good

    Not salty 100%

    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 100% 0%
    Maharashtra 99% 1%
    India 96% 4%

  • Sulphur

    From 21,632 soil tests

    Good

    Short 19% Enough 81%

    2 in 10 soil tests here came out short

    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 19% 81%
    Maharashtra 54% 46%
    India 24% 76%

  • Zinc

    From 21,632 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 24% Enough 76%

    2 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 24% 76%
    Maharashtra 52% 48%
    India 35% 65%

  • Iron

    From 21,630 soil tests

    Good

    Short 20% Enough 80%

    2 in 10 soil tests here came out short

    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 20% 80%
    Maharashtra 59% 41%
    India 24% 76%

  • Copper

    From 21,620 soil tests

    Good

    Short 1% Enough 99%

    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 1% 99%
    Maharashtra 4% 96%
    India 5% 95%

  • Manganese

    From 21,632 soil tests

    Good

    Short 2% Enough 98%

    Almost every soil test here had enough

    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 2% 98%
    Maharashtra 12% 88%
    India 12% 88%

  • Boron

    From 21,615 soil tests

    Poor

    Short 53% Enough 47%

    5 in 10 soil tests 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 53% 47%
    Maharashtra 45% 55%
    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. 21,632 samples.

Climate

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

Rain

About 1,250 mm of rain a year

In a normal year. A dry year brings about 1,080 mm.

Temperature

Hottest in May: days about 43 °C, nights 28 °C

Coolest in December: days about 29 °C, nights 13 °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 Bhandara

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 it across India.

Yield against other districts

Rice

Yield is better than 34% of districts growing it.

Other Pulses

Yield is better than 16% of districts growing it.

Other Rabi Pulses

Yield is better than 19% of districts growing it.

0 2.5 q 5 q 7.5 q 10 q
1997-98 2024-25
Latest 9.2 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). 2015-16 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.

Rice

Here 13 quintals of paddy an acre
Similar districts 14 quintals of paddy an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 14 quintals an acre of paddy; here it's 13 quintals an acre.

Other Pulses

Here 2.1 quintals an acre
Similar districts 2.0 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 2.0 quintals an acre of other pulses; here it's 2.1 quintals an acre.

Other Rabi Pulses

Here 2.0 quintals an acre
Similar districts 1.9 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 1.9 quintals an acre of other rabi pulses; here it's 2.0 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
2.4 lakh
Average farm size 2016-17
2.2 acres
Young farmers (18–30) 2016-17
13%
Farmers with secondary school or more 2016-17
50%
Farmland that is irrigated 2016-17
16%
Farmers who took a bank or co-op loan 2016-17
51%
Farmers who had their soil tested 2016-17
48%
Farmers using certified seed 2016-17
92%

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.