Chhindwara

Many samples here are low in nitrogen. Maize and wheat cover the most farmland.
Soil score
8/10
Good for most crops
Rain
1,190 mm
a year, most of it Jun⁠–⁠Sep
Temperature
10°–41°
Hottest in May, coolest nights in January
Main crop
Maize
3.5 lakh ha sown

Soil

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

8

out of 10

Soil score

Good

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 45% Medium 51% High 4%

    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 45% 51% 4%
    Madhya Pradesh 69% 31% 1%
    India 64% 30% 6%
  • Phosphorus

    Good

    Low 9% Medium 67% High 24%

    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.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place LowMediumHigh
    Here 9% 67% 24%
    Madhya Pradesh 10% 65% 25%
    India 14% 41% 45%
  • Potassium

    Good

    Low 6% Medium 61% High 33%

    1 in 10 soil tests here came out low

    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 6% 61% 33%
    Madhya Pradesh 4% 56% 40%
    India 14% 53% 34%
  • Organic carbon

    Good

    Low 20% Medium 24% High 57%

    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 LowMediumHigh
    Here 20% 24% 57%
    Madhya Pradesh 30% 40% 30%
    India 48% 28% 23%
  • pH

    Good

    Acidic 1% Neutral 98% Alkaline 1%

    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

    Most crops do best at pH 6.5 to 7.5.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place AcidicNeutralAlkaline
    Here 1% 98% 1%
    Madhya Pradesh 1% 98% 1%
    India 12% 86% 2%
  • Salt

    Good

    Not salty 86% Salty 14%

    1 in 10 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 86% 14%
    Madhya Pradesh 93% 7%
    India 96% 4%
  • Sulphur

    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.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 12% 88%
    Madhya Pradesh 19% 81%
    India 24% 76%
  • Zinc

    Okay

    Short 43% Enough 57%

    4 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 43% 57%
    Madhya Pradesh 45% 55%
    India 35% 65%
  • Iron

    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.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 27% 73%
    Madhya Pradesh 22% 78%
    India 24% 76%
  • Copper

    Good

    Short 8% Enough 92%

    1 in 10 soil tests here came out short

    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 8% 92%
    Madhya Pradesh 7% 93%
    India 5% 95%
  • Manganese

    Good

    Short 12% Enough 88%

    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.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 12% 88%
    Madhya Pradesh 8% 92%
    India 13% 87%
  • Boron

    Okay

    Short 28% Enough 72%

    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.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 28% 72%
    Madhya Pradesh 26% 74%
    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. 51,820 samples.

Climate

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

Rain

About 1,190 mm of rain a year

In a normal year. A dry year brings about 920 mm.

Temperature

Hottest in May: days about 41°, nights 26°

Coolest in January: days about 26°, nights 10°.

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 Chhindwara

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 Chhindwara…

What grows here

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

Yield against other districts

Maize

Yield is better than 71% of districts growing it.

Wheat

Yield is better than 86% of districts growing it.

Gram (Chana)

Yield is better than 96% of districts growing it.

0.0 2.5 5.0
1997-98 2024-25
Latest 3.3 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). 2015-16 to 2024-25.

Compared with similar soil

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

Maize

Here 3.6 t/ha
Similar soil 2.5 t/ha

Districts with similar soil typically get 2.5 t/ha of maize; here it's 3.6 t/ha.

Wheat

Here 4.2 t/ha
Similar soil 2.4 t/ha

Districts with similar soil typically get 2.4 t/ha of wheat; here it's 4.2 t/ha.

Gram (Chana)

Here 1.9 t/ha
Similar soil 1.3 t/ha

Districts with similar soil typically get 1.3 t/ha of gram (chana); here it's 1.9 t/ha.

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
3,14,678
Average farm size
1.9 ha
Young farmers (18–30)
3%
Farmers with secondary school or more
12%
Farmland that is irrigated
37%
Farmers who took a bank or co-op loan
25%
Farmers who had their soil tested
4%
Farmers using certified seed
50%
Drip or sprinkler sets per 1,000 farms
20

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.