Bitter Gourd
Sow in July, harvest around November
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.
₹64,000–₹97,000
per acre a season, before costs
At typical costs, from a loss of ₹3,000 to a profit of ₹29,000 an acre a season
- Needs care: Risky: 2 irrigations short
- Suits: Ideal temperatures
- Suits: Soil 9/10
Why, and how to make it work Hide details
Water
Rain falls about 2 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.
Needs about 360 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 290 mm it can use in a normal year, and 160 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):
- Jul 28 °C / 21 °C
- Aug 28 °C / 21 °C
- Sep 28 °C / 21 °C
- Oct 29 °C / 21 °C
Soil
Soil for Bitter Gourd: 9 out of 10 (good).
- The pH here suits it.
- Most fields here are short of iron.
Likes pH 6.0–6.5.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 39 quintals an acre, the typical figure in your state (its government crop records list none for your district).
On rain alone it gets about 79% of the water it needs, so the money here is worked at 79% of this yield.
Mandi price at last season's harvest (December 2025): about ₹2,600 a quintal at mandis in your district.
This week: about ₹2,700 a quintal, the middle of 14 mandis in your state (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹16,000 a season after typical costs.
- ₹2,050 2021
- ₹2,800 2022
- ₹2,800 2023
- ₹3,250 2024
- ₹3,500 2025
Prices are usually best in March.
Typical costs are about ₹67,000 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 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.