Bitter Gourd

Water

Rain is enough, even in a dry year.

Needs about 390 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 1,800 mm it can use in a normal year, and 1,570 mm in a dry year.

Heavy rain here can waterlog it. Grow it on raised beds or land that drains well.

Temperature

Grows best at 22–30 °C on average, and survives 15–38 °C.

Here, in its growing months (day / night):

• Jun 32 °C / 26 °C
• Jul 32 °C / 26 °C
• Aug 33 °C / 26 °C
• Sep 32 °C / 25 °C

Soil

Soil for Bitter Gourd: 8 out of 10 (good).

Not in the score: sulphur.

• Soil here is often more acidic than it likes.
• Most fields here are short of phosphorus.

Likes pH 6.0–6.5.

Money

Yield: about 57 quintals an acre, the typical figure across India (no figures for your state).

Mandi price at this season's harvest so far (October–November 2026): about ₹4,400 a quintal at mandis in your district.

This week: about ₹3,200 a quintal, the middle of 2 mandis in your district (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹89,000 a season after typical costs.

Prices are usually best in February.

Typical costs are about ₹93,000 an acre: about half of what a usual harvest earns (2023–2025), as in farm cost surveys. They are spent whatever the harvest.