Jowar (Sorghum)
Sow in June, harvest around October
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 13,554 acres here. Sold at 17 mandis in your district.
₹9,000–₹14,000
per acre a season, before costs
At typical costs, from a loss of ₹3,000 to a profit of ₹1,000 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 in a normal year. Keep one irrigation ready for a dry year.
Needs about 380 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 400 mm it can use in a normal year, and 350 mm in a dry year.
Temperature
Grows best at 22–35 °C on average, and survives 8–40 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Jun 37 °C / 26 °C
- Jul 31 °C / 24 °C
- Aug 30 °C / 23 °C
- Sep 31 °C / 23 °C
Soil
Soil for Jowar (Sorghum): 7 out of 10 (okay).
- The pH here suits it.
- Many fields here are short of nitrogen, which it needs a lot.
- Many fields here are short of zinc, which it needs a lot.
- Most fields here are short of organic carbon.
Likes pH 5.5–8.0.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 4.3 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).
Mandi price at this season's harvest so far (October–November 2026): about ₹2,663 a quintal at mandis in your district.
This week: about ₹2,705 a quintal, the middle of 5 mandis in your district (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would lose about ₹846 a season at typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹4,023 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹1,230 2021
- ₹1,850 2022
- ₹2,760 2023
- ₹2,130 2024
- ₹2,130 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.
Typical costs are about ₹12,000 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 7.0 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.
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Short of nitrogen Your soil is likely short of nitrogen.
Add about a quarter more urea than the usual dose, in two or three splits. A pulse crop in rotation also adds nitrogen.
About 33% of local fields of this crop get it.
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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.
Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.
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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.
Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.
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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.
Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.
What local farmers put on it (share of fields):
- Urea 33%
- Muriate of Potash (MOP) 6%
- Calcium Ammonium Nitrate 4%
- Single Super Phosphate (SSP) 2%