Cotton
Sow in June, harvest around December
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 2,471 acres here. Priced from mandis across your state.
₹46,000–₹69,000
per acre a season, before costs
After typical costs: ₹18,000–₹41,000 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 540 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 800 mm it can use in a normal year, and 750 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 31 °C / 23 °C
- Jul 27 °C / 21 °C
- Aug 26 °C / 21 °C
- Sep 27 °C / 21 °C
- Oct 28 °C / 19 °C
- Nov 26 °C / 15 °C (outside its best range)
Months in orange are outside its best range.
Soil
Soil for Cotton: 7 out of 10 (okay).
- Soil here is often more acidic than it likes.
- 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 organic carbon.
Likes pH 6.0–7.5.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 7.3 quintals of kapas (raw cotton) an acre here (district figures).
Mandi price at last season's harvest (December 2025–January 2026): about ₹7,870 a quintal across mandis in your state.
This week: about ₹8,810 a quintal, the middle of 205 mandis across India (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹36,000 a season after 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.
Prices are usually best in December.
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
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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 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.
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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.