Bitter Gourd
Sow in June, harvest around October
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
No figures for your district: its government crop records list no area or yield for this crop. Sold at 3 mandis in your district.
₹1.3 lakh–₹1.9 lakh
per acre a season, before costs
After typical costs: ₹63,000–₹1.3 lakh an acre a season
- Suits: Rain is enough
- Suits: Ideal temperatures
- Needs care: Soil 7/10
Why, and how to make it work Hide details
Water
Rain is enough, even in a dry year.
Needs about 380 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 820 mm it can use in a normal year, and 700 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 35 °C / 27 °C (outside its best range)
- Jul 32 °C / 26 °C
- Aug 32 °C / 26 °C
- Sep 32 °C / 26 °C
Months in orange are outside its best range.
Soil
Soil for Bitter Gourd: 7 out of 10 (okay).
- Soil here is often more acidic than it likes.
- Many fields here are short of nitrogen, which it needs a lot.
- Many fields here are short of potassium, which it needs a lot.
- Most fields here are short of boron.
Likes pH 6.0–6.5.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 40 quintals an acre, the typical figure in your state (its government crop records list none for your district).
Mandi price at this season's harvest so far (October–November 2026): about ₹4,000 a quintal at mandis in your district.
This week: about ₹3,600 a quintal, the middle of 3 mandis in your district (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹79,000 a season after typical costs.
- ₹3,500 2021
- ₹4,000 2022
Prices are usually best in March.
Typical costs are about ₹66,000 an acre: about half of what a usual harvest earns (2023–2025), as in farm cost surveys. They are spent whatever the harvest.
How to make it work
-
Short of nitrogen Your soil is likely short of nitrogen.
Add about a quarter more urea than the usual dose, in two or three splits. A pulse crop in rotation also adds nitrogen.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
-
Short of boron Your soil is likely short of boron.
Mix 4 kg of borax per acre into the soil before sowing.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.