Uttarkashi

Most soil here is low in nitrogen. Rice and wheat cover the most farmland.
Soil score
8/10
Good for most crops
Rain
1,280 mm
a year, most of it Jun⁠–⁠Sep
Temperature
5°–32°
Hottest in May, coolest nights in January
Main crop
Rice
9,846 ha sown

Soil

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

8

out of 10

Soil score

Good

Short in most fields here: nitrogen and sulphur.

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 100%

    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 100% 0% 0%
    Uttarakhand 92% 8% 0%
    India 64% 30% 6%
  • Phosphorus

    Good

    Low 19% Medium 63% High 18%

    2 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 19% 63% 18%
    Uttarakhand 17% 45% 38%
    India 14% 41% 45%
  • Potassium

    Good

    Low 19% Medium 65% High 17%

    2 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 19% 65% 17%
    Uttarakhand 21% 51% 28%
    India 14% 53% 34%
  • Organic carbon

    Good

    Low 6% Medium 35% High 59%

    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 6% 35% 59%
    Uttarakhand 20% 26% 55%
    India 48% 28% 23%
  • pH

    Good

    Acidic 6% Neutral 94%

    1 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 6% 94% 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

    Poor

    Short 52% Enough 48%

    5 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 52% 48%
    Uttarakhand 22% 78%
    India 24% 76%
  • Zinc

    Good

    Short 7% Enough 93%

    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 7% 93%
    Uttarakhand 13% 87%
    India 35% 65%
  • Iron

    Good

    Short 7% Enough 93%

    1 in 10 soil tests here came out short

    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 7% 93%
    Uttarakhand 12% 88%
    India 24% 76%
  • Copper

    Good

    Short 4% Enough 96%

    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 4% 96%
    Uttarakhand 4% 96%
    India 5% 95%
  • Manganese

    Okay

    Short 21% Enough 79%

    2 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 21% 79%
    Uttarakhand 14% 86%
    India 13% 87%
  • Boron

    Good

    Short 4% Enough 96%

    Almost every soil test here had enough

    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 4% 96%
    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. 13,695 samples.

Climate

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

Rain

About 1,280 mm of rain a year

In a normal year. A dry year brings about 1,070 mm.

Temperature

Hottest in May: days about 32°, nights 19°

Coolest in January: days about 15°, nights 5°.

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 Uttarkashi

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

Rice

Yield is better than 16% of districts growing it.

Wheat

Yield is better than 22% of districts growing it.

Ragi (Finger Millet)

Yield is better than 86% of districts growing it.

0.0 1.0 1.9
1997-98 2024-25
Latest 1.9 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). 2018-19 to 2024-25.

Compared with similar soil

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

Rice

Here 1.8 t/ha
Similar soil 2.1 t/ha

Districts with similar soil typically get 2.1 t/ha of rice; here it's 1.8 t/ha. That's about 15% more per hectare.

Wheat

Here 1.9 t/ha
Similar soil 2.0 t/ha

Districts with similar soil typically get 2.0 t/ha of wheat; here it's 1.9 t/ha.

Ragi (Finger Millet)

Here 1.8 t/ha
Similar soil 1.5 t/ha

Districts with similar soil typically get 1.5 t/ha of ragi (finger millet); here it's 1.8 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
40,599
Average farm size
0.9 ha
Young farmers (18–30)
3%
Farmers with secondary school or more
34%
Farmland that is irrigated
5%
Farmers who took a bank or co-op loan
33%
Farmers who had their soil tested
0%
Farmers using certified seed
0%
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.

Blocks in this district

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