Cowpea (Lobia)

Water

Rain is enough, even in a dry year.

Needs about 280 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 670 mm it can use in a normal year, and 610 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 25–35 °C on average, and survives 15–40 °C.

Here, in its growing months (day / night):

• Jul 32 °C / 26 °C
• Aug 32 °C / 26 °C
• Sep 32 °C / 26 °C
• Oct 31 °C / 23 °C

Soil

Soil for Cowpea (Lobia): 8 out of 10 (good).

• The pH here suits it.
• Low nitrogen matters less: it makes its own.
• Many fields here are short of phosphorus, which it needs a lot.
• Many fields here are short of sulphur, which it needs a lot.
• Most fields here are short of boron.

Likes pH 5.5–7.5.

Money

Yield: about 3.2 quintals an acre here in its other seasons (district figures).

Mandi price at this season's harvest so far (October–November 2026): about ₹8,892 a quintal across India's mandis.

This week: about ₹8,965 a quintal, the middle of 22 mandis across India (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹20,000 a season after typical costs.

Prices are usually best in November.

Typical costs are about ₹9,000 an acre: about half of what a usual harvest earns (2023–2025), as in farm cost surveys. They are spent whatever the harvest.