Cowpea (Lobia)
Sow in July, harvest around October
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 2,592 acres here. Sold at 2 mandis in your district.
₹9,000–₹13,000
per acre a season, before costs
At typical costs, from a loss of ₹195 to a profit of ₹4,000 an acre a season
- Needs care: Risky: 3 irrigations short
- Needs care: Cool in July
- Suits: Soil 9/10
Why, and how to make it work Hide details
Water
Rain falls about 3 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.
Needs about 310 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 180 mm it can use in a normal year, and 110 mm in a dry year.
Temperature
Grows best at 25–35 °C on average, and survives 15–40 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Jul 28 °C / 20 °C (outside its best range)
- Aug 29 °C / 20 °C (outside its best range)
- Sep 29 °C / 20 °C (outside its best range)
- Oct 29 °C / 20 °C (outside its best range)
Months in orange are outside its best range.
Soil
Soil for Cowpea (Lobia): 9 out of 10 (good).
Not in the score: nitrogen.
- The pH here suits it.
- Most fields here are short of zinc.
- Most fields here are short of iron.
- Most fields here are short of boron.
Likes pH 5.5–7.5.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 1.6 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).
Mandi price at this season's harvest so far (October 2026): about ₹6,807 a quintal at mandis in your district.
This week: about ₹8,435 a quintal, the middle of 7 mandis in your state (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹5,000 a season after typical costs.
Prices are usually best in September.
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.
How to make it work
The better districts with similar soil, rain and warmth get 1.8 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.
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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.
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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.
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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.