Kanniyakumari

Most soil here is low in nitrogen. Coconut and rice cover the most farmland.
Plan a farm here Crops that suit it
Soil score
6/10
Okay for most crops
Rain
1,090 mm
a year, most of it Oct⁠–⁠Nov
Temperature
23–34 °C
Hottest in March, coolest nights in January
Main crop
Coconut
61,092 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 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 4,945 soil tests

    Poor

    Low 95% Medium 5%

    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 95% 5% 0%
    Tamil Nadu 99% 1% 0%
    India 65% 29% 6%

  • Phosphorus

    From 4,946 soil tests

    Good

    Low 5% Medium 13% High 82%

    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% 13% 82%
    Tamil Nadu 21% 43% 36%
    India 13% 41% 45%

  • Potassium

    From 4,947 soil tests

    Okay

    Low 28% Medium 43% High 30%

    3 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 28% 43% 30%
    Tamil Nadu 11% 43% 46%
    India 14% 53% 33%

  • Organic carbon

    From 4,940 soil tests

    Poor

    Low 88% Medium 10% High 3%

    9 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 88% 10% 3%
    Tamil Nadu 88% 9% 3%
    India 49% 28% 23%

  • pH

    From 4,920 soil tests

    Okay

    Acidic 23% Neutral 77% Alkaline 1%

    2 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 23% 77% 1%
    Tamil Nadu 2% 93% 5%
    India 11% 86% 2%

  • Salt

    From 4,935 soil tests

    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. 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 97% 3%
    Tamil Nadu 98% 2%
    India 96% 4%

  • Sulphur

    From 4,949 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 35% Enough 65%

    3 in 10 soil tests here came out short

    If your field is short: use single super phosphate instead of DAP, or add about 100 kg of gypsum per acre before sowing.

    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 35% 65%
    Tamil Nadu 35% 65%
    India 24% 76%

  • Zinc

    From 4,949 soil tests

    Good

    Short 11% Enough 89%

    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 11% 89%
    Tamil Nadu 42% 58%
    India 35% 65%

  • Iron

    From 4,949 soil tests

    Good

    Enough 100%

    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 0% 100%
    Tamil Nadu 37% 63%
    India 24% 76%

  • Copper

    From 4,923 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%
    Tamil Nadu 3% 97%
    India 5% 95%

  • Manganese

    From 4,949 soil tests

    Good

    Enough 100%

    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 0% 100%
    Tamil Nadu 22% 78%
    India 12% 88%

  • Boron

    From 4,948 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 47% Enough 53%

    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 47% 53%
    Tamil Nadu 45% 55%
    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. 4,949 samples.

Climate

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

Rain

About 1,090 mm of rain a year

In a normal year. A dry year brings about 900 mm.

Temperature

Hottest in March: days about 34 °C, nights 25 °C

Coolest in January: days about 31 °C, nights 23 °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 Kanniyakumari

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

Coconut

Yield is better than 41% of districts growing it.

Rice

Yield is better than 92% of districts growing it.

Banana

Yield is better than 48% of districts growing it.

0 20 q 40 q 60 q
2002-03 2022-23
Latest 15 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.

Coconut

Here 16 quintals an acre
Similar districts 25 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 25 quintals an acre of coconut, about 62% more than the 16 quintals an acre here.

Rice

Here 23 quintals of paddy an acre
Similar districts 19 quintals of paddy an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 19 quintals an acre of paddy; here it's 23 quintals an acre.

Banana

Here 114 quintals an acre
Similar districts 159 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 159 quintals an acre of banana, about 39% more than the 114 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
4.4 lakh
Average farm size 2016-17
0.6 acres
Young farmers (18–30) 2016-17
0%
Farmers with secondary school or more 2016-17
49%
Farmland that is irrigated 2016-17
70%
Farmers who took a bank or co-op loan 2016-17
10%
Farmers who had their soil tested 2016-17
13%
Farmers using certified seed 2016-17
4%

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.