Prakasam

Most soil here is low in nitrogen. Tur (Arhar) and tobacco cover the most farmland.
Soil score
7/10
Okay for most crops
Rain
820 mm
a year, most of it Jul⁠–⁠Oct
Temperature
19–40 °C
Hottest in May, coolest nights in January
Main crop
Tur (Arhar)
1.6 lakh 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 organic carbon.

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 35,646 soil tests

    Poor

    Low 97% Medium 2%

    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/ha

    Healthy soil has 280 kg/ha or more.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place LowMediumHigh
    Here 97% 2% 0%
    Andhra Pradesh 73% 24% 3%
    India 65% 29% 6%
  • Phosphorus

    From 35,667 soil tests

    Good

    Low 5% Medium 27% High 68%

    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 5% 27% 68%
    Andhra Pradesh 16% 32% 52%
    India 13% 41% 45%
  • Potassium

    From 35,688 soil tests

    Good

    Low 1% Medium 15% High 84%

    Most soil tests here came out high

    If your field is high: you can use about a quarter less potash than usual.

    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 1% 15% 84%
    Andhra Pradesh 10% 30% 60%
    India 14% 53% 33%
  • Organic carbon

    From 35,613 soil tests

    Poor

    Low 68% Medium 10% High 21%

    7 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 68% 10% 21%
    Andhra Pradesh 57% 24% 19%
    India 49% 28% 23%
  • pH

    From 35,538 soil tests

    Okay

    Neutral 79% Alkaline 21%

    2 in 10 soil tests here came out alkaline

    If your field is alkaline: add compost or farmyard manure. Very alkaline land also needs gypsum; a soil lab works out how much.

    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 0% 79% 21%
    Andhra Pradesh 1% 93% 6%
    India 11% 86% 2%
  • Salt

    From 35,590 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%
    Andhra Pradesh 93% 7%
    India 96% 4%
  • Sulphur

    From 35,700 soil tests

    Good

    Short 3% Enough 97%

    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 3% 97%
    Andhra Pradesh 15% 85%
    India 24% 76%
  • Zinc

    From 35,556 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 32% Enough 68%

    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 32% 68%
    Andhra Pradesh 38% 62%
    India 35% 65%
  • Iron

    From 35,545 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 33% Enough 67%

    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 33% 67%
    Andhra Pradesh 29% 71%
    India 24% 76%
  • Copper

    From 35,634 soil tests

    Good

    Short 6% Enough 94%

    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 6% 94%
    Andhra Pradesh 6% 94%
    India 5% 95%
  • Manganese

    From 35,690 soil tests

    Good

    Short 6% Enough 94%

    1 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 6% 94%
    Andhra Pradesh 12% 88%
    India 12% 88%
  • Boron

    From 35,706 soil tests

    Good

    Short 8% Enough 92%

    1 in 10 soil tests here came out short

    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 8% 92%
    Andhra Pradesh 26% 74%
    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. 35,706 samples.

Climate

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

Rain

About 820 mm of rain a year

In a normal year. A dry year brings about 650 mm.

Temperature

Hottest in May: days about 40 °C, nights 29 °C

Coolest in January: days about 31 °C, nights 19 °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 Prakasam

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 0 good fits

No crop fits well in this season here.

Possible with effort: Tur (Arhar) Chillies (Dry) Cotton

See every kharif option

Rabi 0 good fits

No crop fits well in this season here.

Possible with effort: Gram (Chana) Tobacco Urad (Black Gram)

See every rabi option

Whole year 0 good fits

No crop fits well in this season here.

Possible with effort: Mango Pineapple Dragon Fruit

See every whole year option

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

Tur (Arhar)

Yield is better than 2% of districts growing it.

Tobacco

Yield is better than 33% of districts growing it.

Chillies (Dry)

Yield is better than 84% of districts growing it.

0 1 q 2 q 3 q 4 q
1997-98 2024-25
Latest 2.0 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). 2022-23 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.

Tur (Arhar)

Here 1.5 quintals an acre
Similar districts 3.4 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 3.4 quintals an acre of tur (arhar), about 124% more than the 1.5 quintals an acre here.

Tobacco

Here 7.1 quintals an acre
Similar districts 11 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 11 quintals an acre of tobacco, about 62% more than the 7.1 quintals an acre here.

Chillies (Dry)

Here 15 quintals an acre
Similar districts 11 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 11 quintals an acre of chillies (dry); here it's 15 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
7.2 lakh
Average farm size 2016-17
3 acres
Young farmers (18–30) 2016-17
1%
Farmers with secondary school or more 2016-17
20%
Farmland that is irrigated 2016-17
20%
Farmers who took a bank or co-op loan 2016-17
55%
Farmers who had their soil tested 2016-17
88%
Farmers using certified seed 2016-17
60%

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.