Laterite has been derived from the Latin word letter which means bricks . The laterite soil develop in area with high temperature and heavy rainfall . This is the result of intense leaching due to heavy rain . Humus content of the soil is low because most of the microorganisms , particularly the decomposers , like bacteria , get destroyed due to high temperature . Laterite soils are suitable for cultivation with adequate doses of manure and fertilizers . The soils are mainly found in Karnataka , Kerala , Tamilnadu , Madhya Pradesh and the hilly areas of Odisha and Assam . After adopting appropriate soil conservation techniques particularly in the hilly areas of Karnataka , Kerala and Tamilnadu , this soil is very useful for growing tea and coffee . Red laterite soils in Tamil Nadu , Andhra , Pradesh and Kerala are most suitable for crops like cashew nut .
