Pithoragarh

Most soil here is low in nitrogen. Wheat and rice cover the most farmland.
Soil score
7/10
Okay for most crops
Rain
2,200 mm
a year, most of it May⁠–⁠Sep
Temperature
7–34 °C
Hottest in May, coolest nights in January
Main crop
Wheat
39,525 acres sown

Soil

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

7

out of 10

Soil score

Okay

Short in most fields here: nitrogen.

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

    Poor

    Low 99% Medium 1%

    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.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place LowMediumHigh
    Here 99% 1% 0%
    Uttarakhand 92% 8% 0%
    India 64% 30% 6%
  • Phosphorus

    Okay

    Low 31% Medium 66% High 3%

    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.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place LowMediumHigh
    Here 31% 66% 3%
    Uttarakhand 17% 45% 38%
    India 14% 41% 45%
  • Potassium

    Okay

    Low 21% Medium 54% High 25%

    2 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 21% 54% 25%
    Uttarakhand 21% 51% 28%
    India 14% 53% 34%
  • Organic carbon

    Good

    Low 3% Medium 9% High 88%

    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 3% 9% 88%
    Uttarakhand 20% 26% 55%
    India 48% 28% 23%
  • pH

    Good

    Acidic 17% Neutral 83%

    2 in 10 soil tests here came out acidic

    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 17% 83% 0%
    Uttarakhand 3% 97% 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%
    Uttarakhand 88% 12%
    India 96% 4%
  • Sulphur

    Okay

    Short 20% Enough 80%

    2 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.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 20% 80%
    Uttarakhand 22% 78%
    India 24% 76%
  • Zinc

    Good

    Short 5% Enough 95%

    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.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 5% 95%
    Uttarakhand 13% 87%
    India 35% 65%
  • Iron

    Good

    Short 1% Enough 99%

    Almost every soil test here had enough

    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 1% 99%
    Uttarakhand 12% 88%
    India 24% 76%
  • Copper

    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.

    Compared with the wider area
    Place ShortEnough
    Here 0% 100%
    Uttarakhand 4% 96%
    India 5% 95%
  • Manganese

    Good

    Short 13% Enough 87%

    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 13% 87%
    Uttarakhand 14% 86%
    India 13% 87%
  • Boron

    Okay

    Short 31% Enough 69%

    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 31% 69%
    Uttarakhand 22% 78%
    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. 10,444 samples.

Climate

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

Rain

About 2,200 mm of rain a year

In a normal year. A dry year brings about 1,470 mm.

Temperature

Hottest in May: days about 34 °C, nights 19 °C

Coolest in January: days about 17 °C, nights 7 °C.

Typical of the district's villages; a farm much higher or lower can be a few degrees cooler or warmer.

Source: 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.

Crops that suit Pithoragarh

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.

Sowing Growing

Money a season, before costs. Bar: compared with the best crop here.

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

Wheat

Yield is better than 16% of districts growing it.

Rice

Yield is better than 6% of districts growing it.

Ragi (Finger Millet)

Yield is better than 82% of districts growing it.

0 2 q 4 q 6 q 8 q
1997-98 2024-25
Latest 6.9 quintals an acre 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). 2018-19 to 2024-25.

Compared with similar soil

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

Wheat

Here 6.8 quintals an acre
Similar soil 8.0 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil typically get 8.0 quintals an acre of wheat; here it's 6.8 quintals an acre. That's about 17% more.

Rice

Here 5.5 quintals an acre
Similar soil 7.7 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil typically get 7.7 quintals an acre of rice; here it's 5.5 quintals an acre. That's about 40% more.

Ragi (Finger Millet)

Here 6.6 quintals an acre
Similar soil 6.4 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil typically get 6.4 quintals an acre of ragi (finger millet); here it's 6.6 quintals an acre.

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 2016-17
73,726
Average farm size 2016-17
1.6 acres
Young farmers (18–30) 2016-17
1%
Farmers with secondary school or more 2016-17
33%
Farmland that is irrigated 2016-17
7%
Farmers who took a bank or co-op loan 2016-17
36%
Farmers who had their soil tested 2016-17
0%
Farmers using certified seed 2016-17
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.

Blocks in this district

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