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Your plan for Tiruchirappalli

Rabi Rain only

We checked 52 crops against your soil, rain and temperature, whether or not they're grown near you.

It's November: 28 of the crops that suit can still be sown this season. For 6 the sowing time is over.

Your land

Soil

6

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 333 mm in Rabi

October–February, in a normal year. A dry year brings about 252 mm.

Temperature

Days about 31 °C, nights 22 °C in Rabi

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 20,441 soil tests

    Poor

    Low 99%

    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 20,436 soil tests

    Poor

    Low 97% Medium 2% High 1%

    Almost every soil test 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 20,447 soil tests

    Poor

    Short 53% Enough 47%

    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.

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 20,442 soil tests

    Okay

    Low 33% Medium 16% High 51%

    3 in 10 soil tests here came out low

    If your field is low: add about a quarter more DAP or single super phosphate than the usual dose, at sowing.

    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 20,444 soil tests

    Good

    Low 1% Medium 31% High 68%

    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 20,418 soil tests

    Good

    Neutral 95% Alkaline 4%

    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 20,431 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 20,445 soil tests

    Good

    Short 12% Enough 88%

    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.

  • Zinc

    From 20,445 soil tests

    Good

    Short 9% Enough 91%

    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.

  • Iron

    From 20,448 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 25% Enough 75%

    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 more

    Healthy soil has 4.5 ppm or more.

  • Copper

    From 20,433 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.

  • Manganese

    From 20,448 soil tests

    Good

    Short 2% Enough 98%

    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 34

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. Groundnut

    JJASONDJFMAM

    Sow in November, harvest around March

    Sowing time is now.

    Grown on 3,706 acres here. Priced from mandis across your state.

    ₹72,000–₹1.1 lakh

    per acre a season, before costs

    After typical costs: ₹32,000–₹68,000 an acre a season

    • Needs care: Risky: 7 irrigations short
    • Suits: Ideal temperatures
    • Suits: Soil 8/10
    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 400 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain in its months gives about 60 mm it can use in a normal year (40 mm in a dry one), and the soil holds about 20 mm from the monsoon at sowing.

    Temperature

    Grows best at 22–32 °C on average, and survives 10–45 °C.

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

    • Nov 30 °C / 23 °C
    • Dec 30 °C / 22 °C
    • Jan 30 °C / 21 °C
    • Feb 33 °C / 22 °C

    Soil

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

    • The pH here suits it.
    • Low nitrogen matters less: it makes its own.
    • Many fields here are short of boron, which it needs a lot.
    • Most fields here are short of organic carbon.

    Likes pH 5.5–6.5.

    How the soil score works

    Money

    Yield: about 14 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).

    Mandi price at last season's harvest (March–April 2026): about ₹6,531 a quintal across mandis in your state.

    Minimum support price: ₹7,517 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.

    Average mandi price each year (₹ a quintal):
    1. ₹8,410 2021
    2. ₹8,800 2022
    3. ₹8,540 2023
    4. ₹7,440 2024
    5. ₹6,200 2025

    Prices are usually best in June.

    Typical costs are about ₹40,000 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 9.8 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.

    • 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.

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

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

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

      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):

    • Gypsum 50%
    • NPK Mixture 36%
    • Urea 29%
    • Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 26%

  2. Maize

    JJASONDJFMAM

    Sow in October, harvest around January

    Still sowing time: sow by the end of November.

    Grown on 8,225 acres here. Priced from mandis across your state.

    ₹61,000–₹91,000

    per acre a season, before costs

    After typical costs: ₹39,000–₹69,000 an acre a season

    • Needs care: Risky: 4 irrigations short
    • Suits: Ideal temperatures
    • Needs care: Soil 7/10
    Why, and how to make it work

    Water

    Rain falls about 4 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.

    Needs about 320 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain in its months gives about 140 mm it can use in a normal year (100 mm in a dry one), and the soil holds about 20 mm from the monsoon at sowing.

    Temperature

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

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

    • Oct 33 °C / 24 °C
    • Nov 30 °C / 23 °C
    • Dec 30 °C / 22 °C
    • Jan 30 °C / 21 °C

    Soil

    Soil for Maize: 7 out of 10 (okay).

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

    Likes pH 5.0–7.0.

    How the soil score works

    Money

    Yield: about 22 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).

    Mandi price at last season's harvest (January–February 2026): about ₹3,375 a quintal across mandis in your state.

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

    Average mandi price each year (₹ a quintal):
    1. ₹1,670 2021
    2. ₹2,140 2022
    3. ₹2,160 2023
    4. ₹2,670 2024
    5. ₹3,190 2025

    Prices swing a lot from year to year, so income can be well above or below this range.

    Prices are usually best in January.

    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 25 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.

    • 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.

      About 74% of local fields of this crop get it.

    • 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.

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

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

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

      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 74%
    • Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 68%
    • Muriate of Potash (MOP) 57%
    • NPK Mixture 6%

  3. Jowar (Sorghum)

    JJASONDJFMAM

    Sow in September, harvest around January

    This season's sowing time (September–October) is over.

    Grown on 24,429 acres here. Priced from mandis across your state.

    ₹20,000–₹29,000

    per acre a season, before costs

    After typical costs: ₹7,000–₹17,000 an acre a season

    • Needs care: Risky: 3 irrigations short
    • Suits: Ideal temperatures
    • Needs care: Soil 7/10
    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 340 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 220 mm it can use in a normal year, and 160 mm in a dry year.

    Temperature

    Grows best at 22–35 °C on average, and survives 8–40 °C.

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

    • Sep 34 °C / 25 °C
    • Oct 33 °C / 24 °C
    • Nov 30 °C / 23 °C
    • Dec 30 °C / 22 °C

    Soil

    Soil for Jowar (Sorghum): 7 out of 10 (okay).

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

    Likes pH 5.5–8.0.

    How the soil score works

    Money

    Yield: about 7.6 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).

    Mandi price at last season's harvest (January–February 2026): about ₹3,200 a quintal across mandis in your state.

    Minimum support price: ₹4,023 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.

    Average mandi price each year (₹ a quintal):
    1. ₹2,920 2021
    2. ₹2,710 2022
    3. ₹3,410 2023
    4. ₹2,760 2025

    Prices are usually best in March.

    Typical costs are about ₹12,000 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 6.3 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.

    • 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.

      About 57% of local fields of this crop get it.

    • 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.

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

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

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

      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 57%
    • Muriate of Potash (MOP) 20%
    • Calcium Ammonium Nitrate 12%
    • Zinc Sulphate Heptahydrate / Monohydrate 12%

  4. Radish

    JJASONDJFMAM

    Sow in October, harvest around December

    Still sowing time: sow by the end of November.

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

    ₹38,000–₹57,000

    per acre a season, before costs

    After typical costs: ₹8,000–₹27,000 an acre a season

    • Needs care: Risky: 1 irrigation short
    • Needs care: Warm in October
    • Needs care: Soil 7/10
    Why, and how to make it work

    Water

    Rain falls about 1 irrigation (5 cm) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.

    Needs about 160 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain in its months gives about 110 mm it can use in a normal year (90 mm in a dry one), and the soil holds about 10 mm from the monsoon at sowing.

    Temperature

    Grows best at 12–26 °C on average, and survives 10–37 °C.

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

    • Oct 33 °C / 24 °C (outside its best range)
    • Nov 30 °C / 23 °C (outside its best range)

    Months in orange are outside its best range.

    Soil

    Soil for Radish: 7 out of 10 (okay).

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

    Likes pH 6.0–7.0.

    How the soil score works

    Money

    Yield: about 66 quintals an acre, the typical figure across India (no figures for your state).

    On rain alone it gets about 77% of the water it needs, so the money here is worked at 77% of this yield.

    Mandi price at last season's harvest (December 2025–January 2026): about ₹925 a quintal across India's mandis.

    Average mandi price each year (₹ a quintal):
    1. ₹990 2021
    2. ₹1,090 2022
    3. ₹1,130 2023
    4. ₹1,360 2024
    5. ₹1,280 2025

    Prices are usually best in August.

    Typical costs are about ₹30,000 an acre: about half of what a usual harvest earns (2024–2026), 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.

  5. Cotton

    JJASONDJFMAM

    Sow in October, harvest around April

    Still sowing time: sow by the end of November.

    Grown on 5,445 acres here. Priced from mandis across India.

    ₹30,000–₹45,000

    per acre a season, before costs

    After typical costs: ₹2,000–₹17,000 an acre a season

    • Needs care: Risky: 11 irrigations short
    • Suits: Ideal temperatures
    • Suits: Soil 8/10
    Why, and how to make it work

    Water

    Rain falls about 11 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.

    Needs about 660 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain in its months gives about 140 mm it can use in a normal year (110 mm in a dry one), and the soil holds about 20 mm from the monsoon at sowing.

    Temperature

    Grows best at 22–36 °C on average, and survives 15–42 °C.

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

    • Oct 33 °C / 24 °C
    • Nov 30 °C / 23 °C
    • Dec 30 °C / 22 °C
    • Jan 30 °C / 21 °C
    • Feb 33 °C / 22 °C
    • Mar 36 °C / 24 °C

    Soil

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

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

    Likes pH 6.0–7.5.

    How the soil score works

    Money

    Yield: about 4.7 quintals of kapas (raw cotton) an acre here in this season (district figures).

    Mandi price at last season's harvest (April–May 2026): about ₹7,843 a quintal across India's mandis.

    Minimum support price: ₹8,267 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.

    That is the price for medium staple kapas (raw cotton). Long staple kapas has ₹8,667 a quintal.

    Average mandi price each year (₹ a quintal):
    1. ₹6,180 2021
    2. ₹9,050 2022
    3. ₹7,000 2023
    4. ₹7,050 2024
    5. ₹7,130 2025

    Prices are usually best in October.

    Typical costs are about ₹28,000 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 5.4 quintals of kapas (raw cotton) an acre. That's a realistic target.

    • 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.

      About 96% of local fields of this crop get it.

    • 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.

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

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

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

      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 96%
    • Muriate of Potash (MOP) 56%
    • Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 41%
    • Single Super Phosphate (SSP) 24%

  6. Urad (Black Gram)

    JJASONDJFMAM

    Sow in October, harvest around January

    Still sowing time: sow by the end of December.

    Grown on 10,002 acres here. Priced from mandis across your state.

    ₹16,000–₹25,000

    per acre a season, before costs

    After typical costs: ₹2,000–₹11,000 an acre a season

    • Needs care: Risky: 2 irrigations short
    • Suits: Ideal temperatures
    • Suits: Soil 8/10
    Why, and how to make it work

    Water

    Rain falls about 2 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.

    Needs about 240 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain in its months gives about 140 mm it can use in a normal year (100 mm in a dry one), and the soil holds about 20 mm from the monsoon at sowing.

    Temperature

    Grows best at 22–35 °C on average, and survives 8–40 °C.

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

    • Oct 33 °C / 24 °C
    • Nov 30 °C / 23 °C
    • Dec 30 °C / 22 °C

    Soil

    Soil for Urad (Black Gram): 8 out of 10 (good).

    • The pH here suits it.
    • Low nitrogen matters less: it makes its own.
    • Many fields here are short of phosphorus, which it needs a lot.
    • Most fields here are short of organic carbon.
    • Most fields here are short of boron.

    Likes pH 5.5–6.5.

    How the soil score works

    Money

    Yield: about 2.6 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).

    Mandi price at last season's harvest (February 2026): about ₹8,000 a quintal across mandis in your state.

    Minimum support price: ₹8,200 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.

    Average mandi price each year (₹ a quintal):
    1. ₹5,330 2021
    2. ₹6,370 2022
    3. ₹7,250 2023
    4. ₹8,810 2024

    Prices are usually best in February.

    Typical costs are about ₹14,000 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 3.7 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.

    • 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.

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

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

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

      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 29%
    • NPK Mixture 18%
    • Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 13%
    • Muriate of Potash (MOP) 2%

  7. Moong (Green Gram)

    JJASONDJFMAM

    Sow in October, harvest around December

    Still sowing time: sow by the end of November.

    Grown on 1,488 acres here. Priced from mandis across India.

    ₹5,000–₹7,000

    per acre a season, before costs

    Likely a loss at typical costs: ₹7,000–₹10,000 an acre a season

    • Needs care: Risky: 2 irrigations short
    • Suits: Ideal temperatures
    • Suits: Soil 8/10
    Why, and how to make it work

    Water

    Rain falls about 2 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.

    Needs about 210 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain in its months gives about 140 mm it can use in a normal year (100 mm in a dry one), and the soil holds about 10 mm from the monsoon at sowing.

    Temperature

    Grows best at 21–36 °C on average, and survives 8–40 °C.

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

    • Oct 33 °C / 24 °C
    • Nov 30 °C / 23 °C
    • Dec 30 °C / 22 °C

    Soil

    Soil for Moong (Green Gram): 8 out of 10 (good).

    • The pH here suits it.
    • Low nitrogen matters less: it makes its own.
    • Many fields here are short of phosphorus, which it needs a lot.
    • Most fields here are short of organic carbon.
    • Most fields here are short of boron.

    Likes pH 6.2–7.5.

    How the soil score works

    Money

    Yield: about 1.2 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).

    On rain alone it gets about 76% of the water it needs, so the money here is worked at 76% of this yield.

    Mandi price at last season's harvest (December 2025–January 2026): about ₹6,108 a quintal across India's mandis.

    Minimum support price: ₹8,780 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.

    Average mandi price each year (₹ a quintal):
    1. ₹6,010 2021
    2. ₹6,130 2022
    3. ₹7,280 2023
    4. ₹7,580 2024
    5. ₹6,880 2025

    Prices are usually best in October.

    Typical costs are about ₹14,000 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 2.2 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.

    • 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.

  8. Rice

    JJASONDJFMAM

    Sow in September, harvest around January

    This season's sowing time (August–October) is over.

    Grown on 94,709 acres here. Sold at 7 mandis in your district.

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

    • Needs care: Risky: 12 irrigations short
    • Suits: Ideal temperatures
    • Needs care: Soil 7/10
    Why, and how to make it work

    Water

    Rain falls about 12 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.

    Needs about 1,010 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 440 mm it can use in a normal year, and 270 mm in a dry year.

    Temperature

    Grows best at 20–30 °C on average, and survives 15–36 °C.

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

    • Sep 34 °C / 25 °C
    • Oct 33 °C / 24 °C
    • Nov 30 °C / 23 °C
    • Dec 30 °C / 22 °C
    • Jan 30 °C / 21 °C

    Soil

    Soil for Rice: 7 out of 10 (okay).

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

    Likes pH 5.5–7.0.

    How the soil score works

    Money

    Yield: about 24 quintals of paddy an acre here in this season (district figures).

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

    Mandi price at last season's harvest (January–February 2026): about ₹2,050 a quintal at mandis in your district.

    Minimum support price: ₹2,441 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.

    Prices are usually best in July.

    Typical costs are about ₹29,000 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 22 quintals of paddy an acre. That's a realistic target.

    • 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.

      About 77% of local fields of this crop get it.

    • 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.

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

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

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

      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 77%
    • Muriate of Potash (MOP) 70%
    • Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 43%
    • Zinc Sulphate Heptahydrate / Monohydrate 30%

  9. Sesame (Til)

    JJASONDJFMAM

    Sow in October, harvest around January

    Still sowing time: sow by the end of November.

    Grown on 2,431 acres here. Priced from mandis across India.

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

    • 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 270 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain in its months gives about 140 mm it can use in a normal year (100 mm in a dry one), and the soil holds about 20 mm from the monsoon at sowing.

    Temperature

    Grows best at 20–30 °C on average, and survives 10–40 °C.

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

    • Oct 33 °C / 24 °C
    • Nov 30 °C / 23 °C
    • Dec 30 °C / 22 °C
    • Jan 30 °C / 21 °C

    Soil

    Soil for Sesame (Til): 8 out of 10 (good).

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

    Likes pH 5.5–7.5.

    How the soil score works

    Money

    Yield: about 3.0 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).

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

    Mandi price at last season's harvest (January–February 2026): about ₹8,733 a quintal across India's mandis.

    Minimum support price: ₹10,346 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.

    Average mandi price each year (₹ a quintal):
    1. ₹7,840 2021
    2. ₹9,550 2022
    3. ₹13,310 2023
    4. ₹11,590 2024
    5. ₹8,860 2025

    Prices are usually best in November.

    Typical costs are about ₹15,000 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 2.1 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.

    • 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.

      About 80% of local fields of this crop get it.

    • 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.

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

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

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

      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 80%
    • NPK Mixture 69%
    • Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 19%

  10. Horse Gram (Kulthi)

    JJASONDJFMAM

    Sow in October, harvest around February

    Still sowing time: sow by the end of November.

    Grown on 1,232 acres here. Priced from mandis across India.

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

    • Needs care: Risky: 4 irrigations short
    • Suits: Ideal temperatures
    • Suits: Soil 8/10
    Why, and how to make it work

    Water

    Rain falls about 4 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.

    Needs about 330 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain in its months gives about 140 mm it can use in a normal year (100 mm in a dry one), and the soil holds about 20 mm from the monsoon at sowing.

    Temperature

    Grows best at 20–28 °C on average, and survives 17–35 °C.

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

    • Oct 33 °C / 24 °C (outside its best range)
    • Nov 30 °C / 23 °C
    • Dec 30 °C / 22 °C
    • Jan 30 °C / 21 °C

    Months in orange are outside its best range.

    Soil

    Soil for Horse Gram (Kulthi): 8 out of 10 (good).

    • The pH here suits it.
    • Low nitrogen matters less: it makes its own.
    • Many fields here are short of phosphorus, which it needs a lot.
    • Most fields here are short of organic carbon.
    • Most fields here are short of boron.

    Likes pH 5.5–7.0.

    How the soil score works

    Money

    Yield: about 3.0 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).

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

    Mandi price at last season's harvest (February–March 2026): about ₹3,830 a quintal across India's mandis.

    Average mandi price each year (₹ a quintal):
    1. ₹3,230 2021
    2. ₹4,350 2022
    3. ₹5,550 2023
    4. ₹5,920 2024
    5. ₹4,280 2025

    Prices swing a lot from year to year, so income can be well above or below this range.

    Prices are usually best in October.

    Typical costs are about ₹6,000 an acre: about half of what a usual harvest earns (2024–2026), as in farm cost surveys. They are spent whatever the harvest.

    How to make it work

    The better districts with similar soil, rain and warmth get 2.0 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.

    • 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.

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

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

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

      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 8%
18 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).