Balodabazar-Bhatapara
Soil
What soil tests across the district found, nutrient by nutrient.
7
out of 10
Soil score
OkayShort in most fields here: nitrogen, organic carbon, zinc 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.
-
Poor
Nitrogen
From 10,997 soil tests
Low 88% Medium 12%
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/haHealthy soil has 280 kg/ha or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Low Medium High Here 88% 12% 0% Chhattisgarh 77% 23% 0% India 65% 29% 6% -
Good
Phosphorus
From 11,001 soil tests
Low 5% Medium 80% High 14%
1 in 10 soil tests here came out low
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/haHealthy soil has 10 kg/ha or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Low Medium High Here 5% 80% 14% Chhattisgarh 21% 69% 10% India 13% 41% 45% -
Good
Potassium
From 11,001 soil tests
Low 1% Medium 35% High 64%
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/haHealthy soil has 110 kg/ha or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Low Medium High Here 1% 35% 64% Chhattisgarh 4% 53% 43% India 14% 53% 33% -
Poor
Organic carbon
From 10,995 soil tests
Low 66% Medium 27% High 7%
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 Low Medium High Here 66% 27% 7% Chhattisgarh 52% 36% 13% India 49% 28% 23% -
Good
pH
From 10,987 soil tests
Acidic 5% Neutral 95% Alkaline 1%
Almost no soil tests here fell short
What this means
How sour (acidic) or alkaline the soil is. It decides which nutrients roots can take up.
Acidic Neutral AlkalineIn 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 Acidic Neutral Alkaline Here 5% 95% 1% Chhattisgarh 9% 90% 0% India 11% 86% 2% -
Good
Salt
From 10,994 soil tests
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 SaltyUnder 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 salty Salty Here 100% 0% Chhattisgarh 99% 1% India 96% 4% -
Good
Sulphur
From 11,001 soil tests
Short 1% Enough 99%
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 moreHealthy soil has 10 ppm or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Short Enough Here 1% 99% Chhattisgarh 35% 65% India 24% 76% -
Poor
Zinc
From 11,001 soil tests
Short 80% Enough 20%
8 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 moreHealthy soil has 0.6 ppm or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Short Enough Here 80% 20% Chhattisgarh 49% 51% India 35% 65% -
Okay
Iron
From 11,001 soil tests
Short 24% Enough 76%
2 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 moreHealthy soil has 4.5 ppm or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Short Enough Here 24% 76% Chhattisgarh 10% 90% India 24% 76% -
Good
Copper
From 10,999 soil tests
Short 1% Enough 99%
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 moreHealthy soil has 0.2 ppm or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Short Enough Here 1% 99% Chhattisgarh 3% 97% India 5% 95% -
Good
Manganese
From 11,001 soil tests
Short 5% Enough 95%
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 moreHealthy soil has 2 ppm or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Short Enough Here 5% 95% Chhattisgarh 2% 98% India 12% 88% -
Poor
Boron
From 10,996 soil tests
Short 62% Enough 38%
6 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 moreHealthy soil has 0.5 ppm or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Short Enough Here 62% 38% Chhattisgarh 20% 80% 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. 11,001 samples.
Climate
Rain and temperature through the year, from 24 years of weather records.
Rain
About 1,140 mm of rain a year
In a normal year. A dry year brings about 960 mm.
Temperature
Hottest in May: days about 43 °C, nights 29 °C
Coolest in January: days about 28 °C, nights 13 °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 Balodabazar-Bhatapara
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 60% of districts growing it.
Wheat
Yield is better than 15% of districts growing it.
Khesari (Grass Pea)
Yield is better than 4% of districts growing it.
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
Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 11 quintals an acre of paddy; here it's 17 quintals an acre.
Wheat
Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 11 quintals an acre of wheat, about 55% more than the 6.8 quintals an acre here.
Rapeseed & Mustard
Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 3.8 quintals an acre of rapeseed & mustard, about 116% more than the 1.8 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
- 2.7 lakh
- Average farm size 2016-17
- 2.2 acres
- Young farmers (18–30) 2016-17
- 5%
- Farmers with secondary school or more 2016-17
- 18%
- Farmland that is irrigated 2016-17
- 43%
- Farmers who took a bank or co-op loan 2016-17
- 57%
- Farmers who had their soil tested 2016-17
- 3%
- Farmers using certified seed 2016-17
- 32%
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.
- Sarangarh-Bilaigarh Chhattisgarh About 90 km away. 1,330 mm of rain in a typical year (2001–2024). Rice Small Millets Wheat
- Agar-Malwa Madhya Pradesh About 680 km away. 920 mm of rain in a typical year (2001–2024). Soybean Wheat Coriander
- Khargone (West Nimar) Madhya Pradesh About 670 km away. 870 mm of rain in a typical year (2001–2024). Cotton Wheat Gram (Chana)
- Narmadapuram Madhya Pradesh About 450 km away. 1,350 mm of rain in a typical year (2001–2024). Wheat Moong (Green Gram) Rice
- Ramanathapuram Tamil Nadu About 1,390 km away. 970 mm of rain in a typical year (2001–2024). Rice Chillies (Dry) Coconut
- See all similar districts
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.