Mayurbhanj

Most soil here is short of boron. Rice and cowpea (lobia) cover the most farmland.
Soil score
4/10
Poor for most crops
Rain
1,590 mm
a year, most of it May⁠–⁠Oct
Temperature
13°–37°
Hottest in April, coolest nights in January
Main crop
Rice
3.2 lakh ha sown

Soil

What soil tests across the district found, nutrient by nutrient.

4

out of 10

Soil score

Poor

Short in most fields here: phosphorus, pH, sulphur, zinc, copper, manganese 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.

  • Nitrogen

    Okay

    Low 41% Medium 46% High 13%

    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.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place LowMediumHigh
    Here 41% 46% 13%
    Odisha 69% 29% 2%
    India 64% 30% 6%
  • Phosphorus

    Poor

    Low 91% Medium 9%

    9 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.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place LowMediumHigh
    Here 91% 9% 0%
    Odisha 26% 44% 30%
    India 14% 41% 45%
  • Potassium

    Okay

    Low 42% Medium 53% High 6%

    4 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/ha

    Healthy soil has 110 kg/ha or more.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place LowMediumHigh
    Here 42% 53% 6%
    Odisha 17% 61% 22%
    India 14% 53% 34%
  • Organic carbon

    Okay

    Low 47% Medium 31% High 22%

    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.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place LowMediumHigh
    Here 47% 31% 22%
    Odisha 49% 35% 16%
    India 48% 28% 23%
  • pH

    Poor

    Acidic 73% Neutral 27%

    7 in 10 soil tests here came out acidic

    If your field is acidic: add agricultural lime before sowing. A soil lab works out how much your field needs.

    What this means

    How sour (acidic) or alkaline the soil is. It decides which nutrients roots can take up.

    Acidic Neutral Alkaline

    Most crops do best at pH 6.5 to 7.5.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place AcidicNeutralAlkaline
    Here 73% 27% 0%
    Odisha 30% 70% 0%
    India 12% 86% 2%
  • Salt

    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. Above 4 harms most crops.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place Not saltySalty
    Here 100% 0%
    Odisha 99% 1%
    India 96% 4%
  • Sulphur

    Poor

    Short 97% Enough 3%

    Almost every soil test 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.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 97% 3%
    Odisha 36% 64%
    India 24% 76%
  • Zinc

    Poor

    Short 87% Enough 13%

    9 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.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 87% 13%
    Odisha 43% 57%
    India 35% 65%
  • Iron

    Okay

    Short 47% Enough 53%

    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.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 47% 53%
    Odisha 13% 87%
    India 24% 76%
  • Copper

    Poor

    Short 60% Enough 40%

    6 in 10 soil tests here came out short

    If your field is short: mix 2 kg of copper sulphate per acre into the soil before sowing.

    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.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 60% 40%
    Odisha 11% 89%
    India 5% 95%
  • Manganese

    Poor

    Short 69% Enough 31%

    7 in 10 soil tests here came out short

    If your field is short: spray manganese sulphate, 5 g per litre of water, on the young crop.

    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.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 69% 31%
    Odisha 13% 87%
    India 13% 87%
  • Boron

    Poor

    Short 98% Enough 2%

    Almost every soil test 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.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 98% 2%
    Odisha 58% 42%
    India 45% 55%

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. 22,667 samples.

Climate

Rain and temperature through the year, from 24 years of weather records.

Rain

About 1,590 mm of rain a year

In a normal year. A dry year brings about 1,410 mm.

Temperature

Hottest in April: days about 37°, nights 24°

Coolest in January: days about 26°, nights 13°.

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 Mayurbhanj

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.

Working out which crops suit Mayurbhanj…

What grows here

Main crops by area, with yield per hectare. Tap a crop to see it across India.

Yield against other districts

Rice

Yield is better than 43% of districts growing it.

Cowpea (Lobia)

Yield is better than 46% of districts growing it.

Tur (Arhar)

Yield is better than 36% of districts growing it.

0.0 1.4 2.7
1998-99 2024-25
Latest 2.1 t/ha in 2024-25

Source: Crop area, production & yield – district-wise (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare); Crop area, production & yield – UPAG (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare). 1999-00 to 2024-25.

Compared with similar soil

What this district harvests, next to districts whose soil tests look alike.

Rice

Here 2.4 t/ha
Similar soil 2.4 t/ha

Districts with similar soil typically get 2.4 t/ha of rice; here it's 2.4 t/ha.

Cowpea (Lobia)

Here 0.7 t/ha
Similar soil 0.9 t/ha

Districts with similar soil typically get 0.9 t/ha of cowpea (lobia); here it's 0.7 t/ha. That's about 20% more per hectare.

Tur (Arhar)

Here 0.8 t/ha
Similar soil 1.1 t/ha

Districts with similar soil typically get 1.1 t/ha of tur (arhar); here it's 0.8 t/ha. That's about 35% 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
4,00,819
Average farm size
0.8 ha
Young farmers (18–30)
5%
Farmers with secondary school or more
24%
Farmland that is irrigated
29%
Farmers who took a bank or co-op loan
4%
Farmers who had their soil tested
9%
Farmers using certified seed
36%
Drip or sprinkler sets per 1,000 farms
1

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.

Blocks in this district

Open a block for its soil report and the villages in it.