Malda

Most soil here is short of boron. Rice and maize cover the most farmland.
Plan a farm here Crops that suit it
Soil score
6/10
Okay for most crops
Rain
1,310 mm
a year, most of it May⁠–⁠Sep
Temperature
10–35 °C
Hottest in May, coolest nights in January
Main crop
Rice
5.1 lakh acres sown

Soil

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

6

out of 10

Soil score

Okay

Short in most fields here: nitrogen, organic carbon and boron.

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 94% Medium 6%

    9 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 94% 6% 0%
    West Bengal 39% 58% 3%
    India 64% 30% 6%

  • Phosphorus

    Good

    Low 4% Medium 17% High 79%

    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 4% 17% 79%
    West Bengal 7% 21% 72%
    India 14% 41% 45%

  • Organic carbon

    Poor

    Low 57% Medium 31% High 12%

    6 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 57% 31% 12%
    West Bengal 25% 41% 33%
    India 48% 28% 23%

  • pH

    Good

    Acidic 11% Neutral 88% Alkaline 1%

    1 in 10 soil tests here came out acidic

    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 11% 88% 1%
    West Bengal 27% 73% 0%
    India 12% 86% 2%

  • Salt

    Good

    Not salty 97% Salty 3%

    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 97% 3%
    West Bengal 95% 5%
    India 96% 4%

  • Zinc

    Good

    Short 15% Enough 85%

    2 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 15% 85%
    West Bengal 25% 75%
    India 35% 65%

  • Iron

    Good

    Short 4% Enough 96%

    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 4% 96%
    West Bengal 1% 99%
    India 24% 76%

  • Copper

    Good

    Enough 100%

    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 0% 100%
    West Bengal 2% 98%
    India 5% 95%

  • Manganese

    Good

    Short 15% Enough 85%

    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 15% 85%
    West Bengal 12% 88%
    India 13% 87%

  • Boron

    Poor

    Short 98% Enough 2%

    Almost every soil test 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 98% 2%
    West Bengal 62% 38%
    India 45% 55%

The tests here for potassium and 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. 31,129 samples.

Climate

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

Rain

About 1,310 mm of rain a year

In a normal year. A dry year brings about 1,170 mm.

Temperature

Hottest in May: days about 35 °C, nights 25 °C

Coolest in January: days about 24 °C, nights 10 °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 Malda

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 77% of districts growing it.

Maize

Yield is better than 98% of districts growing it.

Rapeseed & Mustard

Yield is better than 83% of districts growing it.

8 q 10 q 12 q 14 q 16 q
1997-98 2024-25
Latest 13 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). 2018-19 to 2024-25.

Compared with similar soil

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

Rice

Here 13 quintals an acre
Similar soil 12 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil typically get 12 quintals an acre of rice; here it's 13 quintals an acre.

Maize

Here 34 quintals an acre
Similar soil 12 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil typically get 12 quintals an acre of maize; here it's 34 quintals an acre.

Rapeseed & Mustard

Here 6.5 quintals an acre
Similar soil 6.8 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil typically get 6.8 quintals an acre of rapeseed & mustard; here it's 6.5 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
4.0 lakh
Average farm size 2016-17
2.1 acres
Young farmers (18–30) 2016-17
5%
Farmers with secondary school or more 2016-17
18%
Farmland that is irrigated 2016-17
57%
Farmers who took a bank or co-op loan 2016-17
28%
Farmers who had their soil tested 2016-17
0%
Farmers using certified seed 2016-17
69%

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.

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.