Change farm details

Your plan for Budgam

Kharif Rain only

We checked 55 crops against your soil, rain and temperature, whether or not they're grown near you.

It's November: this season's sowing time is over for every crop that suits. Use this plan for the next sowing.

Your land

Soil

8

out of 10

Soil score

Good

Short in most fields here: zinc and iron.

For most crops. How the soil score works

Rain

About 257 mm in Kharif

June–September, in a normal year. A dry year brings about 192 mm.

Temperature

Days about 28 °C, nights 16 °C in Kharif

Typical of the district's villages; a farm much higher or lower can be a few degrees cooler or warmer.

What's short in your soil, and what to do (2 nutrients)

  • Zinc

    From 9,726 soil tests

    Poor

    Short 57% Enough 43%

    6 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.

  • Iron

    From 9,866 soil tests

    Poor

    Short 53% Enough 47%

    5 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.

Fixes are the usual advice. Your Soil Health Card or nearest Krishi Vigyan Kendra gives the exact dose for your field.

Other soil results

  • Nitrogen

    From 9,701 soil tests

    Okay

    Low 37% Medium 61% High 2%

    4 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.

  • Phosphorus

    From 9,885 soil tests

    Good

    Low 1% Medium 28% High 72%

    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.

  • Potassium

    From 9,884 soil tests

    Good

    Low 2% Medium 85% High 13%

    Almost every soil test here had enough

    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.

  • Organic carbon

    From 9,859 soil tests

    Good

    Low 13% Medium 22% High 65%

    Most soil tests here came out high

    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.

  • pH

    From 9,718 soil tests

    Good

    Neutral 99%

    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.

  • Salt

    From 9,827 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.

  • Sulphur

    From 9,286 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 24% Enough 76%

    2 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.

  • Copper

    From 9,797 soil tests

    Good

    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 more

    Healthy soil has 0.2 ppm or more.

  • Manganese

    From 9,857 soil tests

    Good

    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 more

    Healthy soil has 2 ppm or more.

  • Boron

    From 2,454 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 30% Enough 70%

    3 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.

Good fit 0

Water, temperature and soil type suit; amber shows what needs care, such as nutrients to add. Sorted by what is likely left per acre after costs; risky crops come lower.

Nothing fits well this season. Look at the crops below that are possible with effort, or try another season.

Possible, with effort 2

Each needs something extra: irrigation, soil care or a careful sowing time, or it likely loses money at typical costs. The card says what.

Sowing Growing Harvest

  1. Maize

    JJASONDJFMAM

    Sow in June, harvest around September

    This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.

    Grown on 19,179 acres here. Priced from mandis across India.

    ₹12,000–₹19,000

    per acre a season, before costs

    Likely a loss at typical costs: ₹3,000–₹10,000 an acre a season

    • Needs care: Risky: 7 irrigations short
    • Suits: Ideal temperatures
    • Suits: Soil 9/10
    Why, and how to make it work

    Water

    Rain falls about 7 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.

    Needs about 420 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 100 mm it can use in a normal year, and 70 mm in a dry year.

    Temperature

    Grows best at 18–33 °C on average, and survives 10–47 °C.

    Here, in its growing months (day / night):

    • Jun 28 °C / 16 °C
    • Jul 29 °C / 18 °C
    • Aug 28 °C / 17 °C
    • Sep 27 °C / 13 °C

    Soil

    Soil for Maize: 9 out of 10 (good).

    • The pH here suits it.
    • Many fields here are short of nitrogen, which it needs a lot.
    • Many fields here are short of zinc, which it needs a lot.
    • Most fields here are short of iron.

    Likes pH 5.0–7.0.

    How the soil score works

    Money

    Yield: about 6.6 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).

    Mandi price at last season's harvest (September–October 2026): about ₹2,350 a quintal across India's mandis.

    This week: about ₹2,700 a quintal, the middle of 495 mandis across India (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would lose about ₹4,000 a season at typical costs.

    Minimum support price: ₹2,410 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.

    Average mandi price each year (₹ a quintal):
    1. ₹1,580 2021
    2. ₹2,020 2022
    3. ₹2,010 2023
    4. ₹2,230 2024
    5. ₹2,150 2025

    Prices are usually best in November.

    Typical costs are about ₹22,000 an acre (seed, fertiliser, labour and hired machines, from the government's cost survey). They are spent whatever the harvest.

    How to make it work

    The better districts with similar soil, rain and warmth get 8.8 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.

    • Short of zinc Your soil is likely short of zinc.

      Mix 10 kg of zinc sulphate per acre into the soil before sowing. One dose lasts two or three seasons.

      Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.

    • Short of iron Your soil is likely short of iron.

      Spray ferrous sulphate, 5 g per litre of water, when young leaves turn yellow.

      Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.

    What local farmers put on it (share of fields):

    • Urea 89%
    • Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 28%
    • Muriate of Potash (MOP) 14%
    • Calcium Ammonium Nitrate 0%

  2. Saffron

    JJASONDJFMAM

    Sow in July, harvest around October

    This season's sowing time (July) is over.

    No figures for your district: its government crop records list no area or yield for this crop.

    Only with irrigation: rain gives too little of its water to count on

    • Needs care: Risky: 3 irrigations short
    • Suits: Ideal temperatures
    • Suits: Soil 9/10
    Why, and how to make it work

    Water

    Rain falls about 3 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.

    Needs about 190 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 80 mm it can use in a normal year, and 50 mm in a dry year.

    Temperature

    Grows best at 7–23 °C on average, and survives 4–28 °C.

    Here, in its growing months (day / night):

    • Jul 29 °C / 18 °C (outside its best range)
    • Aug 28 °C / 17 °C
    • Sep 27 °C / 13 °C
    • Oct 23 °C / 7 °C

    Months in orange are outside its best range.

    Soil

    Soil for Saffron: 9 out of 10 (good).

    • The pH here suits it.
    • Many fields here are short of sulphur, which it needs a lot.
    • Most fields here are short of zinc.
    • Most fields here are short of iron.

    Likes pH 6.0–7.0.

    How the soil score works

    Money

    Yield: about 0.4 kg an acre, the typical figure in your state (its government crop records list none for your district).

    Rain gives it too little of the water it needs, so there's no income figure on rain alone: grow it only with irrigation.

    No mandi or support price for this crop yet.

    How to make it work

    • Short of zinc Your soil is likely short of zinc.

      Mix 10 kg of zinc sulphate per acre into the soil before sowing. One dose lasts two or three seasons.

      Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.

    • Short of iron Your soil is likely short of iron.

      Spray ferrous sulphate, 5 g per litre of water, when young leaves turn yellow.

      Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.

53 crops won't work here See why for each one

10 more crops aren't judged yet because we don't have their growing needs.

Next steps

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); Horticulture area & production statistics (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare); 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; FAO ECOCROP crop requirements (via OpenCLIM/ecocrop); FAO-56 crop coefficients (Allen et al. 1998); Agmarknet daily prices and arrivals (India Data Portal).