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Your plan for Madurai

Whole year Rain only

We checked 51 crops against your soil, rain and temperature, whether or not they're grown near you.

Your land

Soil

7

out of 10

Soil score

Okay

Short in most fields here: nitrogen, organic carbon and boron.

For most crops. How the soil score works

Rain

About 915 mm in Whole year

January–December, in a normal year. A dry year brings about 674 mm.

Temperature

Days about 34 °C, nights 24 °C in Whole year

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 (3 nutrients)

  • Nitrogen

    From 20,188 soil tests

    Poor

    Low 100%

    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.

  • Organic carbon

    From 20,179 soil tests

    Poor

    Low 55% Medium 36% High 9%

    5 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.

  • Boron

    From 20,191 soil tests

    Poor

    Short 69% Enough 31%

    7 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.

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

Other soil results

  • Phosphorus

    From 20,191 soil tests

    Good

    Low 10% Medium 54% High 36%

    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/ha

    Healthy soil has 10 kg/ha or more.

  • Potassium

    From 20,194 soil tests

    Good

    Low 3% Medium 30% High 67%

    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.

  • pH

    From 20,149 soil tests

    Good

    Acidic 1% Neutral 96% Alkaline 2%

    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 20,180 soil tests

    Good

    Not salty 98% Salty 2%

    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 20,193 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 40% Enough 60%

    4 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.

  • Zinc

    From 20,182 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 24% Enough 76%

    2 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 20,198 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 27% Enough 73%

    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.

  • Copper

    From 20,125 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 20,198 soil tests

    Good

    Short 4% Enough 96%

    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.

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. Pineapple

    Holds the land all year

    No figures for your district: its government crop records list no area or yield for this crop. Priced from mandis across your state.

    ₹3.9 lakh–₹5.9 lakh

    per acre a year, before costs

    once bearing, from about year 2

    After typical costs: ₹2.5 lakh–₹4.4 lakh an acre a year

    • Needs care: Risky: 3 irrigations short
    • Suits: Ideal temperatures
    • Suits: Soil 8/10
    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 620 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 520 mm it can use in a normal year, and 350 mm in a dry year.

    Temperature

    Grows best at 21–30 °C on average, and survives 10–36 °C.

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

    • Jun 36 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)
    • Jul 35 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)
    • Aug 35 °C / 25 °C
    • Sep 35 °C / 25 °C
    • Oct 33 °C / 24 °C
    • Nov 30 °C / 23 °C
    • Dec 30 °C / 22 °C
    • Jan 30 °C / 22 °C
    • Feb 32 °C / 22 °C
    • Mar 35 °C / 24 °C
    • Apr 36 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)
    • May 37 °C / 27 °C (outside its best range)
    • Jun 36 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)

    Months in orange are outside its best range.

    Soil

    Soil for Pineapple: 8 out of 10 (good).

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

    Likes pH 4.5–6.5.

    How the soil score works

    Money

    Yield: about 124 quintals an acre, the typical figure in your state (its government crop records list none for your district).

    A new planting gives its first real harvest after about 2 years. The money here is for plants already bearing.

    On rain alone it gets about 83% of the water it needs, so the money here is worked at 83% of this yield.

    Mandi price at last season's harvest (September 2026): about ₹4,750 a quintal across mandis in your state.

    Prices are usually best in April.

    Typical costs are about ₹1.4 lakh an acre: about half of what a usual harvest earns (2023–2025), as in farm cost surveys. They are spent whatever the harvest.

    How to make it work

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

      Add about a quarter more urea than the usual dose, in two or three splits. A pulse crop in rotation also adds nitrogen.

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

    • Short of organic carbon Your soil is likely short of organic carbon.

      Add 4 tonnes of compost or farmyard manure per acre before sowing, and plough crop leftovers back in instead of burning them.

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

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

      Mix 4 kg of borax per acre into the soil before sowing.

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

  2. Dragon Fruit

    Holds the land all year

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

    No price yet to estimate income

    • Needs care: Risky: 3 irrigations short
    • Needs care: Warm in June
    • Suits: Soil 8/10
    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 620 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 520 mm it can use in a normal year, and 350 mm in a dry year.

    Temperature

    Grows best at 18–28 °C on average, and survives 12–34 °C.

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

    • Jun 36 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)
    • Jul 35 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)
    • Aug 35 °C / 25 °C (outside its best range)
    • Sep 35 °C / 25 °C (outside its best range)
    • Oct 33 °C / 24 °C (outside its best range)
    • Nov 30 °C / 23 °C
    • Dec 30 °C / 22 °C
    • Jan 30 °C / 22 °C
    • Feb 32 °C / 22 °C
    • Mar 35 °C / 24 °C (outside its best range)
    • Apr 36 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)
    • May 37 °C / 27 °C (outside its best range)
    • Jun 36 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)

    Months in orange are outside its best range.

    Soil

    Soil for Dragon Fruit: 8 out of 10 (good).

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

    Likes pH 5.3–6.7.

    How the soil score works

    Money

    Yield: about 25 quintals an acre, the typical figure in your state (its government crop records list none for your district).

    A new planting gives its first real harvest after about 2 years. The money here is for plants already bearing.

    On rain alone it gets about 83% of the water it needs, so the money here is worked at 83% of this yield.

    No mandi or support price for this crop yet.

    How to make it work

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

      Add about a quarter more urea than the usual dose, in two or three splits. A pulse crop in rotation also adds nitrogen.

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

    • Short of organic carbon Your soil is likely short of organic carbon.

      Add 4 tonnes of compost or farmyard manure per acre before sowing, and plough crop leftovers back in instead of burning them.

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

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

      Mix 4 kg of borax per acre into the soil before sowing.

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

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

4 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).