Soils in India

The Indian types of soils are broadly divided into the following groups -

Alluvial Soil - It is composed of sediments deposited by rivers and waves .Their chemical composition makes them one of the most fertile in the world .It can be divided into
Khadar (new) and Bhangar older,more clayey )alluvium.It covers a major part of the total soil and is found in the Indo-Gangetic plains in Punjab ,Haryana,Uttar Pradesh,Uttarakhand,Bihar and West Bengal.

Black Soil - The soil is composed of rich mineral soil (Fe and Al) formed by the deposition of lava ejected by volcanoes and is ideal for cotton cultivation.It is found in the Deccan Plateau in Maharastra ,Madhya Pradesh ,Gujrat, Chhattisgarh,Odisha,Andhra Pradesh,Karnataka and Tamil Nadu .

Red Soil -It is formed by weathering of Metamorphic and crystalline rocks ,having high iron content ,and is ideal for cultivation of rice ,millets ,tobacco and vegetables .It is found in Andhra Pradesh ,Chhatisgarh ,Madhya Pradesh,Odisha Jharkhand and Karnataka .

Laterite Soil - It is formed by weathering of lime of rocks and is suitable for tea ,coffee,rubber ,cinchona and coconut .It is found in Andhra Pradesh ,Maharashtra ,Eastern Ghats ,Odisha ,Kerela and Karnataka .

Forests Mountain soil-

It is formed by plantation of tea, coffee, ,spices and tropical fruits .It is found in the Himalyas and other ranges in the North and in peninsular region .