Chamba
Soil
What soil tests across the district found, nutrient by nutrient.
9
out of 10
Soil score
GoodFor 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
GoodLow 13% Medium 87%
1 in 10 soil tests here came out low
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 13% 87% 0% Himachal Pradesh 54% 44% 1% India 64% 30% 6% -
Phosphorus
OkayLow 20% Medium 80%
2 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/haHealthy soil has 10 kg/ha or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Low Medium High Here 20% 80% 0% Himachal Pradesh 13% 59% 28% India 14% 41% 45% -
Potassium
OkayLow 33% Medium 67%
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/haHealthy soil has 110 kg/ha or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Low Medium High Here 33% 67% 0% Himachal Pradesh 11% 49% 40% India 14% 53% 34% -
Organic carbon
GoodMedium 1% High 99%
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.
Compared with the wider area Place Low Medium High Here 0% 1% 99% Himachal Pradesh 8% 19% 73% India 48% 28% 23% -
pH
GoodNeutral 100%
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 AlkalineMost crops do best at pH 6.5 to 7.5.
Compared with the wider area Place Acidic Neutral Alkaline Here 0% 100% 0% Himachal Pradesh 1% 99% 0% India 12% 86% 2% -
Salt
GoodNot 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. Above 4 harms most crops.
Compared with the wider area Place Not salty Salty Here 100% 0% Himachal Pradesh 100% 0% India 96% 4% -
Sulphur
GoodEnough 100%
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 0% 100% Himachal Pradesh 3% 97% India 24% 76% -
Iron
GoodEnough 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 moreHealthy soil has 4.5 ppm or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Short Enough Here 0% 100% Himachal Pradesh 3% 97% India 24% 76% -
Copper
GoodEnough 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 moreHealthy soil has 0.2 ppm or more.
Compared with the wider area Place Short Enough Here 0% 100% Himachal Pradesh 1% 99% India 5% 95%
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. 5,927 samples.
Climate
Rain and temperature through the year, from 24 years of weather records.
Rain
About 1,330 mm of rain a year
In a normal year. A dry year brings about 1,120 mm.
Temperature
Hottest in June: days about 32°, nights 19°
Coolest in January: days about 14°, nights 3°.
Averages for an area about 100 km across; hills and valleys can differ by several degrees.
Source: IMD gridded daily rainfall (0.25°); IMD gridded daily max/min temperature (1°).
Crops that suit Chamba
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.
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
Maize
Yield is better than 59% of districts growing it.
Wheat
Yield is better than 30% of districts growing it.
Barley
Yield is better than 14% 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). 2015-16 to 2024-25.
Compared with similar soil
What this district harvests, next to districts whose soil tests look alike.
Maize
Districts with similar soil typically get 2.2 t/ha of maize; here it's 3.1 t/ha.
Wheat
Districts with similar soil typically get 2.4 t/ha of wheat; here it's 2.1 t/ha. That's about 11% more per hectare.
Rapeseed & Mustard
Districts with similar soil typically get 1.0 t/ha of rapeseed & mustard; here it's 0.7 t/ha. That's about 32% more per hectare.
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
- 72,187
- Average farm size
- 0.8 ha
- Young farmers (18–30)
- 1%
- Farmers with secondary school or more
- 34%
- Farmland that is irrigated
- 8%
- Farmers who took a bank or co-op loan
- 59%
- Farmers who had their soil tested
- 0%
- Farmers using certified seed
- 2%
- Drip or sprinkler sets per 1,000 farms
- 0
Source: Agricultural Input Survey (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare). 2016-17.
Districts with similar soil
Places whose soil tests look most like this district's, and what they grow.
- Dindori Madhya Pradesh Rice Wheat Lentil (Masoor)
- Pulwama Jammu And Kashmir Rice Rapeseed & Mustard Maize
- Upper Siang Arunachal Pradesh Rice Maize Ragi (Finger Millet)
- Hamirpur Himachal Pradesh Maize Wheat Rice
- Meluri Nagaland
- 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.