Kodagu

Soil here is mostly neutral. Black Pepper and arecanut cover the most farmland.
Soil score
9/10
Good for most crops
Not in the score: nitrogen.
Rain
1,500 mm
a year, most of it May⁠–⁠Oct
Temperature
16–31 °C
Hottest in March, coolest nights in January
Main crop
Black Pepper
2.2 lakh acres sown

Soil

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

9

out of 10

Soil score

Good

Not in the score: nitrogen.

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.

  • Phosphorus

    From 11,437 soil tests

    Good

    Low 9% Medium 38% High 54%

    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 9% 38% 54%
    Karnataka 7% 31% 62%
    India 13% 41% 45%
  • Potassium

    From 11,437 soil tests

    Good

    Low 10% Medium 50% High 40%

    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 10% 50% 40%
    Karnataka 13% 47% 40%
    India 14% 53% 33%
  • Organic carbon

    From 11,437 soil tests

    Good

    Low 12% Medium 45% High 43%

    1 in 10 soil tests here came out low

    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 12% 45% 43%
    Karnataka 46% 32% 22%
    India 49% 28% 23%
  • pH

    From 11,437 soil tests

    Good

    Acidic 2% Neutral 98%

    Almost every soil test here came out neutral

    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 2% 98% 0%
    Karnataka 5% 92% 3%
    India 11% 86% 2%
  • Salt

    From 11,437 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%
    Karnataka 98% 2%
    India 96% 4%
  • Sulphur

    From 11,437 soil tests

    Good

    Short 9% Enough 91%

    1 in 10 soil tests here came out short

    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 9% 91%
    Karnataka 31% 69%
    India 24% 76%
  • Zinc

    From 11,437 soil tests

    Good

    Short 14% Enough 86%

    1 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 14% 86%
    Karnataka 57% 43%
    India 35% 65%
  • Iron

    From 11,437 soil tests

    Good

    Short 2% Enough 98%

    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 2% 98%
    Karnataka 50% 50%
    India 24% 76%
  • Copper

    From 11,437 soil tests

    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%
    Karnataka 5% 95%
    India 5% 95%
  • Manganese

    From 11,437 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 21% Enough 79%

    2 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 21% 79%
    Karnataka 14% 86%
    India 12% 88%
  • Boron

    From 11,437 soil tests

    Good

    Enough 100%

    Almost every soil test here had enough

    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 0% 100%
    Karnataka 55% 45%
    India 44% 56%

The tests here for nitrogen 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. 11,437 samples.

Climate

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

Rain

About 1,500 mm of rain a year

In a normal year. A dry year brings about 1,340 mm.

Temperature

Hottest in March: days about 31 °C, nights 19 °C

Coolest in January: days about 27 °C, nights 16 °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 Kodagu

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

Black Pepper

Yield is better than 42% of districts growing it.

Arecanut

Yield is better than 83% of districts growing it.

Rice

Yield is better than 54% of districts growing it.

0 5 q 10 q 15 q 20 q
1997-98 2022-23
Latest 1.7 quintals an acre in 2022-23

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 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 16 quintals of paddy an acre
Similar districts 13 quintals of paddy an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 13 quintals an acre of paddy; here it's 16 quintals an acre.

Maize

Here 16 quintals an acre
Similar districts 15 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 15 quintals an acre of maize; here it's 16 quintals an acre.

Ginger

Here 43 quintals an acre
Similar districts 58 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 58 quintals an acre of ginger, about 35% more than the 43 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
67,776
Average farm size 2016-17
5.6 acres
Young farmers (18–30) 2016-17
0%
Farmers with secondary school or more 2016-17
82%
Farmland that is irrigated 2016-17
17%
Farmers who took a bank or co-op loan 2016-17
72%
Farmers who had their soil tested 2016-17
16%
Farmers using certified seed 2016-17
3%

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.