Kathua
Soil
What soil tests across the district found, nutrient by nutrient.
9
out of 10
Soil score
GoodFor 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.
-
Good
Nitrogen
From 6,260 soil tests
Low 8% Medium 73% High 19%
1 in 10 soil tests here came out low
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/haHealthy soil has 280 kg/ha or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Low Medium High Here 8% 73% 19% Jammu And Kashmir 26% 61% 13% India 65% 29% 6% -
Good
Phosphorus
From 6,262 soil tests
Low 1% Medium 21% High 78%
Most soil tests here came out high
If your field is high: you can use about a quarter less DAP than usual.
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/haHealthy soil has 10 kg/ha or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Low Medium High Here 1% 21% 78% Jammu And Kashmir 4% 48% 48% India 13% 41% 45% -
Good
Potassium
From 6,263 soil tests
Low 3% Medium 96% High 1%
Almost every soil test here had enough
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/haHealthy soil has 110 kg/ha or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Low Medium High Here 3% 96% 1% Jammu And Kashmir 7% 69% 23% India 14% 53% 33% -
Good
Organic carbon
From 6,254 soil tests
Low 18% Medium 47% High 35%
2 in 10 soil tests here came out low
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 Low Medium High Here 18% 47% 35% Jammu And Kashmir 15% 26% 59% India 49% 28% 23% -
Good
pH
From 6,230 soil tests
Acidic 4% Neutral 96% 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 AlkalineIn 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 Acidic Neutral Alkaline Here 4% 96% 1% Jammu And Kashmir 2% 97% 1% India 11% 86% 2% -
Good
Salt
From 6,245 soil tests
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 SaltyUnder 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 salty Salty Here 100% 0% Jammu And Kashmir 95% 5% India 96% 4% -
Good
Sulphur
From 6,263 soil tests
Short 6% Enough 94%
1 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 moreHealthy soil has 10 ppm or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Short Enough Here 6% 94% Jammu And Kashmir 16% 84% India 24% 76% -
Good
Zinc
From 6,256 soil tests
Short 8% Enough 92%
1 in 10 soil tests here came out short
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 moreHealthy soil has 0.6 ppm or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Short Enough Here 8% 92% Jammu And Kashmir 24% 76% India 35% 65% -
Okay
Iron
From 6,262 soil tests
Short 27% Enough 73%
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 moreHealthy soil has 4.5 ppm or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Short Enough Here 27% 73% Jammu And Kashmir 36% 64% India 24% 76% -
Good
Copper
From 6,222 soil tests
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 moreHealthy soil has 0.2 ppm or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Short Enough Here 1% 99% Jammu And Kashmir 7% 93% India 5% 95% -
Good
Manganese
From 6,263 soil tests
Short 5% Enough 95%
Almost every soil test here had enough
What this means
Helps leaves make food from sunlight.
Short under 2 ppm Enough 2 ppm or moreHealthy soil has 2 ppm or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Short Enough Here 5% 95% Jammu And Kashmir 21% 79% India 12% 88% -
Good
Boron
From 6,260 soil tests
Short 11% Enough 89%
1 in 10 soil tests here came out short
What this means
Needed for flowers to set seed and fruit.
Short under 0.5 ppm Enough 0.5 ppm or moreHealthy soil has 0.5 ppm or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Short Enough Here 11% 89% Jammu And Kashmir 22% 78% 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. 6,263 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 1,100 mm.
Temperature
Hottest in June: days about 37 °C, nights 25 °C
Coolest in January: days about 17 °C, nights 6 °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 Kathua
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.
Kharif 32 good fits
- Green Chillies ₹1.6–2.5 lakh an acre
- Brinjal ₹1.5–2.3 lakh an acre
- Bottle Gourd ₹1.3–2.0 lakh an acre
- Capsicum ₹1.5–2.2 lakh an acre
- Jute ₹1.1–1.7 lakh an acre
Rabi 14 good fits
- Green Peas ₹1.4–2.1 lakh an acre
- Cauliflower ₹91,000–₹1.4 lakh an acre
- Carrot ₹37,000–₹56,000 an acre
- Radish ₹50,000–₹75,000 an acre
- Coriander ₹37,000–₹55,000 an acre
Whole year 0 good fits
No crop fits well in this season here.
Possible with effort: Grapes Pear Pomegranate
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
Wheat
Yield is better than 27% of districts growing it.
Rice
Yield is better than 24% of districts growing it.
Maize
Yield is better than 54% of districts growing it.
Source: Crop area, production & yield – district-wise (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare); Crop area, production & yield – UPAG (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare). 2016-17 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.
Wheat
Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 10.0 quintals an acre of wheat, about 20% more than the 8.3 quintals an acre here.
Rice
Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 16 quintals an acre of paddy, about 27% more than the 12 quintals an acre here.
Maize
Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 16 quintals an acre of maize, about 35% more than the 12 quintals an acre here.
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
- 79,820
- Average farm size 2016-17
- 2.3 acres
- Young farmers (18–30) 2016-17
- 1%
- Farmers with secondary school or more 2016-17
- 27%
- Farmland that is irrigated 2016-17
- 52%
- Farmers who took a bank or co-op loan 2016-17
- 61%
- Farmers who had their soil tested 2016-17
- 14%
- Farmers using certified seed 2016-17
- 86%
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.
- Sheohar Bihar About 1,160 km away. 980 mm of rain in a typical year (2001–2024). Rice Wheat Moong (Green Gram)
- Kodagu Karnataka About 2,250 km away. 1,500 mm of rain in a typical year (2001–2024). Black Pepper Arecanut Rice
- Meluri Nagaland About 2,010 km away. 1,670 mm of rain in a typical year (2001–2024).
- Sitamarhi Bihar About 1,170 km away. 960 mm of rain in a typical year (2001–2024). Rice Wheat Sugarcane
- Hamirpur Himachal Pradesh About 140 km away. 1,360 mm of rain in a typical year (2001–2024). Maize Wheat Rice
- See all similar districts
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.