Cotton
Sow in June, harvest around December
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 3,317 acres here. Priced from mandis across India.
₹11,000–₹17,000
per acre a season, before costs
Likely a loss at typical costs: ₹11,000–₹16,000 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, even in a dry year.
Needs about 530 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 1,780 mm it can use in a normal year, and 1,200 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 22–36 °C on average, and survives 15–42 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Jun 29 °C / 23 °C
- Jul 29 °C / 24 °C
- Aug 30 °C / 24 °C
- Sep 30 °C / 23 °C
- Oct 29 °C / 21 °C
- Nov 26 °C / 16 °C (outside its best range)
Months in orange are outside its best range.
Soil
Soil for Cotton: 8 out of 10 (good).
Not in the score: sulphur.
- The pH here suits it.
- Many fields here are short of boron, which it needs a lot.
- Most fields here are short of phosphorus.
- Most fields here are short of zinc.
Likes pH 6.0–7.5.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 1.9 quintals of kapas (raw cotton) an acre here in this season (district figures).
Mandi price at last season's harvest (December 2025–January 2026): about ₹7,350 a quintal across India's mandis.
This week: about ₹8,810 a quintal, the middle of 205 mandis across India (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would lose about ₹11,000 a season at typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹8,267 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
That is the price for medium staple kapas (raw cotton). Long staple kapas has ₹8,667 a quintal.
- ₹6,180 2021
- ₹9,050 2022
- ₹7,000 2023
- ₹7,050 2024
- ₹7,130 2025
Prices are usually best in October.
Typical costs are about ₹28,000 an acre (seed, fertiliser, labour and hired machines, from the government's cost survey). They are spent whatever the harvest.
How to make it work
The better districts with similar soil, rain and warmth get 2.6 quintals of kapas (raw cotton) an acre. That's a realistic target.
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Short of phosphorus Your soil is likely short of phosphorus.
Add about a quarter more DAP or single super phosphate than the usual dose, at sowing.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
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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.