West Kameng

Most soil here is short of boron. Maize and ragi (finger millet) cover the most farmland.
Soil score
7/10
Okay for most crops
Not in the score: iron.
Rain
2,030 mm
a year, most of it Apr⁠–⁠Oct
Temperature
6–26 °C
Hottest in July, coolest nights in January
Main crop
Maize
7,777 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: boron.

Too acidic in most fields here.

Not in the score: iron.

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 6,086 soil tests

    Okay

    Low 35% Medium 57% High 8%

    3 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 35% 57% 8%
    Arunachal Pradesh 16% 70% 15%
    India 65% 29% 6%
  • Phosphorus

    From 6,088 soil tests

    Good

    Low 12% Medium 60% High 28%

    1 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 12% 60% 28%
    Arunachal Pradesh 14% 58% 28%
    India 13% 41% 45%
  • Potassium

    From 6,088 soil tests

    Okay

    Low 39% Medium 56% High 5%

    4 in 10 soil tests here came out low

    If your field is low: add about a quarter more potash (MOP) than the usual dose.

    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 39% 56% 5%
    Arunachal Pradesh 25% 56% 19%
    India 14% 53% 33%
  • Organic carbon

    From 6,084 soil tests

    Okay

    Low 38% Medium 42% High 21%

    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 38% 42% 21%
    Arunachal Pradesh 18% 46% 36%
    India 49% 28% 23%
  • pH

    From 6,074 soil tests

    Poor

    Acidic 85% Neutral 15%

    9 in 10 soil tests here came out acidic

    If your field is acidic: add agricultural lime before sowing. A soil lab works out how much your field needs.

    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 85% 15% 0%
    Arunachal Pradesh 51% 49% 0%
    India 11% 86% 2%
  • Salt

    From 6,080 soil tests

    Good

    Not salty 93% Salty 7%

    1 in 10 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 93% 7%
    Arunachal Pradesh 97% 3%
    India 96% 4%
  • Sulphur

    From 6,090 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 23% Enough 77%

    2 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 23% 77%
    Arunachal Pradesh 18% 82%
    India 24% 76%
  • Zinc

    From 6,084 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 36% Enough 64%

    4 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 36% 64%
    Arunachal Pradesh 9% 91%
    India 35% 65%
  • Copper

    From 6,085 soil tests

    Good

    Short 5% Enough 95%

    1 in 10 soil tests here came out short

    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 5% 95%
    Arunachal Pradesh 5% 95%
    India 5% 95%
  • Manganese

    From 6,089 soil tests

    Good

    Short 3% Enough 97%

    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 3% 97%
    Arunachal Pradesh 17% 83%
    India 12% 88%
  • Boron

    From 5,999 soil tests

    Poor

    Short 84% Enough 16%

    8 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 84% 16%
    Arunachal Pradesh 24% 76%
    India 44% 56%

The tests here for iron look like a testing error: almost every test reads the same, unlike the districts around. They aren't used.

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. 6,090 samples.

Climate

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

Rain

About 2,030 mm of rain a year

In a normal year. A dry year brings about 1,610 mm.

Temperature

Hottest in July: days about 26 °C, nights 19 °C

Coolest in January: days about 15 °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 West Kameng

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

Maize

Yield is better than 15% of districts growing it.

Ragi (Finger Millet)

Yield is better than 40% of districts growing it.

Small Millets

Yield is better than 67% of districts growing it.

5 q 5.5 q 6 q 6.5 q 7 q 7.5 q
1997-98 2024-25
Latest 7.3 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). 2017-18 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 7.3 quintals an acre
Similar districts 7.6 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 7.6 quintals an acre of maize; here it's 7.3 quintals an acre.

Ragi (Finger Millet)

Here 3.9 quintals an acre
Similar districts 4.3 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 4.3 quintals an acre of ragi (finger millet); here it's 3.9 quintals an acre.

Small Millets

Here 3.9 quintals an acre
Similar districts 4.5 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 4.5 quintals an acre of small millets, about 14% more than the 3.9 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
5,322
Average farm size 2016-17
5 acres
Young farmers (18–30) 2016-17
3%
Farmers with secondary school or more 2016-17
23%
Farmland that is irrigated 2016-17
4%
Farmers who took a bank or co-op loan 2016-17
1%
Farmers who had their soil tested 2016-17
5%
Farmers using certified seed 2016-17
32%

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.

Blocks in this district

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