Khadar Soil

One alluvial soil in the Gangetic plains gets a fresh layer almost every single year. Rivers renew it faster than farmers can wear it out. This article covers Khadar soil: how it forms, and why it stays so fertile.

The Newer, Lower Alluvium

IndGeo0081

NEWER ALLUVIUM

Deposited Recently

Laid down by rivers in the recent geological past

LOW-LYING FLOODPLAIN

Sits Near River Level

Known locally as “Bet” in Punjab; regularly reached by floods

RENEWED ANNUALLY

High Fertility

Fresh silt and nutrients arrive with almost every flood cycle

MAJOR CROPS

Rice, Wheat, Sugarcane

Among the most productive farmland in the Indo-Gangetic Plain

The contrast: Khadar’s fertility comes from staying close to the river. Bhangar‘s stability comes from sitting well above it.

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Must Know

• Khadar is the newer alluvium of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, deposited in low-lying floodplains close to river level.
• It is renewed almost every year, as monsoon floods deposit fresh silt, clay, and nutrients.
• This is distinct from Bhangar, the older, higher-terrace alluvium. Floods no longer reach it, and it is covered in IndGeo0080.
• In Punjab, Khadar-rich floodplains are known locally as “Bet,” or “Betlands,” a local farming term.
• Khadar supports crops including rice, wheat, sugarcane, and oilseeds, and ranks among the most productive farmland in the Ganges basin.

Good to Know

• Khadar is found widely across Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal, concentrated along the major river floodplains.
• Unlike Bhangar, Khadar generally lacks the alkaline kankar nodules that can reduce fertility in older alluvium.
• Khadar’s texture ranges from sandy loam to fine clay, varying with how far a plot sits from the active river channel.

Test Yourself

Please wait…

1. Khadar, the newer alluvium of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, is renewed by rivers roughly how often?

Once a decade

Once every few decades

Almost every year

Only after major earthquakes

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Great to Know

• Khadar and Bhangar sit only a short distance apart geographically, yet differ sharply in fertility and stability. Elevation, not distance, decides which soil a plot of land actually has.
• Relying on annual floods for fertility is a double-edged trait. The same floods that renew Khadar’s nutrients can also destroy crops and property in a bad monsoon year.
• Farmers have long favoured Khadar for its yield, despite the flood risk. That choice shows how short-term productivity often outweighs long-term risk in real farming decisions.