West Khasi Hills

Most soil here is short of boron. Rice and maize cover the most farmland.
Plan a farm here Crops that suit it
Soil score
7/10
Okay for most crops
Rain
6,150 mm
a year, most of it Apr⁠–⁠Oct
Temperature
8–27 °C
Hottest in August, coolest nights in January
Main crop
Rice
17,512 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: nitrogen and boron.

Too acidic in most fields here.

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 2,317 soil tests

    Poor

    Low 57% Medium 42% High 1%

    6 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 57% 42% 1%
    Meghalaya 40% 59% 1%
    India 65% 29% 6%

  • Phosphorus

    From 2,317 soil tests

    Okay

    Low 26% Medium 48% High 26%

    3 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 26% 48% 26%
    Meghalaya 36% 43% 21%
    India 13% 41% 45%

  • Potassium

    From 2,319 soil tests

    Okay

    Low 25% Medium 46% High 30%

    2 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 25% 46% 30%
    Meghalaya 18% 67% 15%
    India 14% 53% 33%

  • Organic carbon

    From 2,317 soil tests

    Good

    Low 1% Medium 3% High 96%

    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% 3% 96%
    Meghalaya 3% 11% 86%
    India 49% 28% 23%

  • pH

    From 2,311 soil tests

    Poor

    Acidic 52% Neutral 48%

    5 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 52% 48% 0%
    Meghalaya 57% 43% 0%
    India 11% 86% 2%

  • Salt

    From 2,313 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%

  • Sulphur

    From 2,319 soil tests

    Good

    Enough 100%

    Almost every soil test here had enough

    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 0% 100%
    Meghalaya 8% 92%
    India 24% 76%

  • Zinc

    From 2,319 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 33% Enough 67%

    3 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 33% 67%
    Meghalaya 41% 59%
    India 35% 65%

  • Iron

    From 2,319 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 35% Enough 65%

    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 more

    Healthy soil has 4.5 ppm or more.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 35% 65%
    Meghalaya 25% 75%
    India 24% 76%

  • Copper

    From 2,319 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 45% Enough 55%

    4 in 10 soil tests here came out short

    If your field is short: mix 2 kg of copper sulphate per acre into the soil before sowing.

    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 45% 55%
    Meghalaya 23% 77%
    India 5% 95%

  • Manganese

    From 2,319 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 47% Enough 53%

    5 in 10 soil tests here came out short

    If your field is short: spray manganese sulphate, 5 g per litre of water, on the young crop.

    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 47% 53%
    Meghalaya 24% 76%
    India 12% 88%

  • Boron

    From 2,319 soil tests

    Poor

    Short 93% Enough 7%

    9 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 93% 7%
    Meghalaya 68% 32%
    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. 2,319 samples.

Climate

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

Rain

About 6,150 mm of rain a year

In a normal year. A dry year brings about 4,910 mm.

Temperature

Hottest in August: days about 27 °C, nights 21 °C

Coolest in January: days about 18 °C, nights 8 °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 Khasi 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 16% of districts growing it.

Maize

Yield is better than 20% of districts growing it.

Potato

Yield is better than 11% of districts growing it.

5 q 6 q 7 q 8 q
1997-98 2023-24
Latest 7.0 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 West Khasi Hills: Ampati Nongstoin

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.

No data yet for this district.

Who farms here

Farms 2016-17
32,508
Average farm size 2016-17
2.7 acres
Young farmers (18–30) 2016-17
15%
Farmers with secondary school or more 2016-17
37%
Farmland that is irrigated 2016-17
10%
Farmers who took a bank or co-op loan 2016-17
5%
Farmers who had their soil tested 2016-17
8%
Farmers using certified seed 2016-17
13%

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.