Colocasia (Arbi)
Sow in July, harvest around January
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. Priced from mandis across India.
Only with irrigation: rain gives too little of its water to count on
- Doesn't suit: Too dry without irrigation
- Doesn't suit: Too cold in november
- Suits: Soil 9/10
Why, and how to make it work Hide details
Water
Too dry to grow on rain alone. It would need irrigation.
Needs about 480 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 140 mm it can use in a normal year, and 80 mm in a dry year.
Temperature
Grows best at 21–28 °C on average, and survives 10–35 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Jul 29 °C / 18 °C
- Aug 28 °C / 17 °C
- Sep 27 °C / 13 °C (outside its best range)
- Oct 23 °C / 7 °C (outside its best range)
- Nov 17 °C / 2 °C (outside its best range)
- Dec 10 °C / -2 °C (outside its best range)
- Jan 7 °C / -3 °C (outside its best range)
Nights in November can bring frost. When frost is forecast, water the field lightly in the evening.
Soil
Soil for Colocasia (Arbi): 9 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 zinc.
- Most fields here are short of iron.
Likes pH 5.5–6.5.
How the soil score worksMoney
No yield records for this crop yet.
Rain gives it too little of the water it needs, so there's no income figure on rain alone: grow it only with irrigation.
Mandi price at last season's harvest (January–February 2026): about ₹3,338 a quintal across India's mandis.
- ₹1,980 2021
- ₹2,350 2022
- ₹3,080 2023
- ₹3,710 2024
- ₹3,130 2025
Prices swing a lot from year to year, so income can be well above or below this range.
Prices are usually best in November.
How to make it work
-
Short of zinc Your soil is likely short of zinc.
Mix 10 kg of zinc sulphate per acre into the soil before sowing. One dose lasts two or three seasons.
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.