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 4 mandis in your district.
₹63,000–₹94,000
per acre a season, before costs
After typical costs: ₹4,000–₹36,000 an acre a season
- Suits: Rain is enough
- Suits: Ideal temperatures
- Suits: Soil 8/10
Why, and how to make it work Hide details
Water
Rain is enough in a normal year. Keep one irrigation ready for a dry year.
Needs about 420 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 410 mm it can use in a normal year, and 320 mm in a dry year.
Temperature
Grows best at 22–30 °C on average, and survives 15–38 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Jun 38 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)
- Jul 32 °C / 24 °C
- Aug 31 °C / 24 °C
- Sep 31 °C / 23 °C
Months in orange are outside its best range.
Soil
Soil for Bitter Gourd: 8 out of 10 (good).
- The pH here suits it.
- Many fields here are short of nitrogen, which it needs a lot.
- Most fields here are short of organic carbon.
- Most fields here are short of iron.
Likes pH 6.0–6.5.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 36 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 ₹2,200 a quintal at mandis in your district.
This week: about ₹2,350 a quintal, the middle of 2 mandis in your district (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹25,000 a season after typical costs.
- ₹2,250 2021
- ₹2,350 2022
- ₹2,050 2023
- ₹2,500 2024
- ₹2,680 2025
Prices are usually best in January.
Typical costs are about ₹58,000 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 organic carbon Your soil is likely short of organic carbon.
Add 4 tonnes of compost or farmyard manure per acre before sowing, and plough crop leftovers back in instead of burning them.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
-
Short of iron Your soil is likely short of iron.
Spray ferrous sulphate, 5 g per litre of water, when young leaves turn yellow.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.