Kullu
Soil
What soil tests across the district found, nutrient by nutrient.
8
out of 10
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
PoorLow 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/haHealthy soil has 280 kg/ha or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Low Medium High Here 99% 1% 0% Himachal Pradesh 54% 44% 1% India 64% 30% 6% -
Phosphorus
GoodLow 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/haHealthy soil has 10 kg/ha or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Low Medium High Here 5% 23% 72% Himachal Pradesh 13% 59% 28% India 14% 41% 45% -
Potassium
GoodLow 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/haHealthy soil has 110 kg/ha or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Low Medium High Here 15% 37% 49% Himachal Pradesh 11% 49% 40% India 14% 53% 34% -
Organic carbon
GoodLow 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 Low Medium High Here 4% 2% 93% Himachal Pradesh 8% 19% 73% India 48% 28% 23% -
pH
GoodAcidic 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 AlkalineMost crops do best at pH 6.5 to 7.5.
Compared with the wider area Place Acidic Neutral Alkaline Here 3% 97% 0% Himachal Pradesh 1% 99% 0% India 12% 86% 2% -
Salt
GoodNot 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 SaltyUnder 1 dS/m is fine. Above 4 harms most crops.
Compared with the wider area Place Not salty Salty Here 99% 1% Himachal Pradesh 100% 0% India 96% 4% -
Sulphur
GoodShort 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 moreHealthy soil has 10 ppm or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Short Enough Here 12% 88% Himachal Pradesh 3% 97% India 24% 76% -
Zinc
GoodShort 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 moreHealthy soil has 0.6 ppm or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Short Enough Here 5% 95% Himachal Pradesh 4% 96% India 35% 65% -
Iron
GoodShort 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 moreHealthy soil has 4.5 ppm or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Short Enough Here 5% 95% Himachal Pradesh 3% 97% India 24% 76% -
Copper
GoodShort 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 moreHealthy soil has 0.2 ppm or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Short Enough Here 3% 97% Himachal Pradesh 1% 99% India 5% 95% -
Manganese
GoodShort 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 moreHealthy soil has 2 ppm or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Short Enough Here 19% 81% Himachal Pradesh 11% 89% India 13% 87% -
Boron
GoodShort 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 moreHealthy soil has 0.5 ppm or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Short Enough 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.
Kharif 13 good fits
- Watermelon ₹3.4 lakh–₹5.1 lakh
- Cucumber ₹1.0 lakh–₹1.5 lakh
- Radish ₹91,000–₹1.4 lakh
- Sunflower ₹28,000–₹42,000
- Urad (Black Gram) ₹26,000–₹39,000
Whole year 0 good fits
No crop fits well in this season here.
Possible with effort: Apple Arecanut Pomegranate
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.
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
Districts with similar soil typically get 2.5 t/ha of maize; here it's 3.0 t/ha.
Wheat
Districts with similar soil typically get 2.0 t/ha of wheat; here it's 2.1 t/ha.
Barley
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.
- Lahaul And Spiti Himachal Pradesh Potato Peas & Beans (Dry) Barley
- Champawat Uttarakhand Wheat Rice Ragi (Finger Millet)
- Shimla Himachal Pradesh Wheat Maize Barley
- Almora Uttarakhand Ragi (Finger Millet) Wheat Rice
- Palakkad Kerala Rice Coconut Banana
- 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.