East Garo Hills

Most soil here is short of zinc. Rice and ginger cover the most farmland.
Plan a farm here Crops that suit it
Soil score
8/10
Good for most crops
Not in the score: sulphur.
Rain
3,450 mm
a year, most of it Apr⁠–⁠Oct
Temperature
11–30 °C
Hottest in April, coolest nights in January
Main crop
Rice
19,573 acres sown

Soil

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

8

out of 10

Soil score

Good

Short in most fields here: phosphorus and zinc.

Not in the score: sulphur.

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 2,248 soil tests

    Good

    Low 17% Medium 81% High 2%

    2 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/ha

    Healthy soil has 280 kg/ha or more.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place LowMediumHigh
    Here 17% 81% 2%
    Meghalaya 40% 59% 1%
    India 65% 29% 6%

  • Phosphorus

    From 2,248 soil tests

    Poor

    Low 51% Medium 49%

    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 51% 49% 0%
    Meghalaya 36% 43% 21%
    India 13% 41% 45%

  • Potassium

    From 2,248 soil tests

    Good

    Low 13% Medium 86%

    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 13% 86% 0%
    Meghalaya 18% 67% 15%
    India 14% 53% 33%

  • Organic carbon

    From 2,246 soil tests

    Good

    Low 1% Medium 20% High 79%

    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 1% 20% 79%
    Meghalaya 3% 11% 86%
    India 49% 28% 23%

  • pH

    From 2,248 soil tests

    Okay

    Acidic 30% Neutral 70%

    3 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 30% 70% 0%
    Meghalaya 57% 43% 0%
    India 11% 86% 2%

  • Salt

    From 2,248 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%
    Meghalaya 100% 0%
    India 96% 4%

  • Zinc

    From 2,248 soil tests

    Poor

    Short 51% Enough 49%

    5 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 51% 49%
    Meghalaya 41% 59%
    India 35% 65%

  • Iron

    From 2,248 soil tests

    Good

    Short 3% Enough 97%

    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 3% 97%
    Meghalaya 25% 75%
    India 24% 76%

  • Copper

    From 2,248 soil tests

    Good

    Short 9% Enough 91%

    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 9% 91%
    Meghalaya 23% 77%
    India 5% 95%

  • Manganese

    From 2,248 soil tests

    Good

    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 more

    Healthy soil has 2 ppm or more.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 5% 95%
    Meghalaya 24% 76%
    India 12% 88%

  • Boron

    From 2,006 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 50% Enough 50%

    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 50% 50%
    Meghalaya 68% 32%
    India 44% 56%

The tests here for sulphur 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. 2,248 samples.

Climate

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

Rain

About 3,450 mm of rain a year

In a normal year. A dry year brings about 2,750 mm.

Temperature

Hottest in April: days about 30 °C, nights 20 °C

Coolest in January: days about 22 °C, nights 11 °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 East Garo Hills

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 28% of districts growing it.

Ginger

Yield is better than 29% of districts growing it.

Arecanut

Yield is better than 53% of districts growing it.

0 2.5 q 5 q 7.5 q 10 q
1997-98 2023-24
Latest 7.1 quintals an acre in 2023-24

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 2023-24.

Mandis in East Garo Hills: Williamnagar

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 15 quintals of paddy an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 15 quintals an acre of paddy, about 14% more than the 13 quintals an acre here.

Ginger

Here 28 quintals an acre
Similar districts 35 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 35 quintals an acre of ginger, about 24% more than the 28 quintals an acre here.

Arecanut

Here 4.6 quintals an acre
Similar districts 3.9 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 3.9 quintals an acre of arecanut; here it's 4.6 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
16,905
Average farm size 2016-17
2 acres
Young farmers (18–30) 2016-17
26%
Farmers with secondary school or more 2016-17
17%
Farmland that is irrigated 2016-17
40%
Farmers who took a bank or co-op loan 2016-17
4%
Farmers who had their soil tested 2016-17
10%
Farmers using certified seed 2016-17
24%

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.