Kullu

Most soil here is low in nitrogen. Maize and wheat cover the most farmland.
Soil score
8/10
Good for most crops
Rain
1,030 mm
a year, most of it Jul⁠–⁠Aug
Temperature
3°–32°
Hottest in June, coolest nights in January
Main crop
Maize
9,644 ha 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.

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

    Poor

    Low 99% Medium 1%

    Almost every soil test 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 99% 1% 0%
    Himachal Pradesh 54% 44% 1%
    India 64% 30% 6%
  • Phosphorus

    Good

    Low 5% Medium 23% High 72%

    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/ha

    Healthy soil has 10 kg/ha or more.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place LowMediumHigh
    Here 5% 23% 72%
    Himachal Pradesh 13% 59% 28%
    India 14% 41% 45%
  • Potassium

    Good

    Low 15% Medium 37% High 49%

    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 15% 37% 49%
    Himachal Pradesh 11% 49% 40%
    India 14% 53% 34%
  • Organic carbon

    Good

    Low 4% Medium 2% High 93%

    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 4% 2% 93%
    Himachal Pradesh 8% 19% 73%
    India 48% 28% 23%
  • pH

    Good

    Acidic 3% Neutral 97%

    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

    Most crops do best at pH 6.5 to 7.5.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place AcidicNeutralAlkaline
    Here 3% 97% 0%
    Himachal Pradesh 1% 99% 0%
    India 12% 86% 2%
  • Salt

    Good

    Not salty 99% Salty 1%

    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. Above 4 harms most crops.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place Not saltySalty
    Here 99% 1%
    Himachal Pradesh 100% 0%
    India 96% 4%
  • Sulphur

    Good

    Short 12% Enough 88%

    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 more

    Healthy soil has 10 ppm or more.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 12% 88%
    Himachal Pradesh 3% 97%
    India 24% 76%
  • Zinc

    Good

    Short 5% Enough 95%

    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 more

    Healthy soil has 0.6 ppm or more.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 5% 95%
    Himachal Pradesh 4% 96%
    India 35% 65%
  • Iron

    Good

    Short 5% Enough 95%

    Almost every soil test here had enough

    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 5% 95%
    Himachal Pradesh 3% 97%
    India 24% 76%
  • Copper

    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%
    Himachal Pradesh 1% 99%
    India 5% 95%
  • Manganese

    Good

    Short 19% Enough 81%

    2 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 19% 81%
    Himachal Pradesh 11% 89%
    India 13% 87%
  • Boron

    Good

    Short 1% Enough 99%

    Almost every soil test here had enough

    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 1% 99%
    Himachal Pradesh 0% 100%
    India 45% 55%

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. 6,671 samples.

Climate

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

Rain

About 1,030 mm of rain a year

In a normal year. A dry year brings about 860 mm.

Temperature

Hottest in June: days about 32°, nights 20°

Coolest in January: days about 15°, nights 3°.

Averages for an area about 100 km across; hills and valleys can differ by several degrees.

Source: IMD gridded daily rainfall (0.25°); IMD gridded daily max/min temperature (1°).

Crops that suit Kullu

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.

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

Maize

Yield is better than 56% of districts growing it.

Wheat

Yield is better than 28% of districts growing it.

Barley

Yield is better than 30% of districts growing it.

0.0 2.0 3.9
1998-99 2024-25
Latest 2.4 t/ha 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). 2006-07 to 2024-25.

Compared with similar soil

What this district harvests, next to districts whose soil tests look alike.

Maize

Here 3.0 t/ha
Similar soil 2.5 t/ha

Districts with similar soil typically get 2.5 t/ha of maize; here it's 3.0 t/ha.

Wheat

Here 2.1 t/ha
Similar soil 2.0 t/ha

Districts with similar soil typically get 2.0 t/ha of wheat; here it's 2.1 t/ha.

Barley

Here 1.9 t/ha
Similar soil 1.5 t/ha

Districts with similar soil typically get 1.5 t/ha of barley; here it's 1.9 t/ha.

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
77,087
Average farm size
0.6 ha
Young farmers (18–30)
2%
Farmers with secondary school or more
54%
Farmland that is irrigated
8%
Farmers who took a bank or co-op loan
37%
Farmers who had their soil tested
0%
Farmers using certified seed
0%
Drip or sprinkler sets per 1,000 farms
0

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

Districts with similar soil

Places whose soil tests look most like this district's, and what they grow.

Blocks in this district

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