Jowar (Sorghum)
Sow in June, harvest around October
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 32 acres here. Priced from mandis across your state.
₹16,000–₹25,000
per acre a season, before costs
After typical costs: ₹4,000–₹12,000 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 380 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 570 mm it can use in a normal year, and 430 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 22–35 °C on average, and survives 8–40 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Jun 38 °C / 27 °C
- Jul 33 °C / 26 °C
- Aug 31 °C / 25 °C
- Sep 32 °C / 24 °C
Soil
Soil for Jowar (Sorghum): 8 out of 10 (good).
- 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 iron.
Likes pH 5.5–8.0.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 7.9 quintals an acre, the typical figure in your state (your district's own figure looked wrong).
Mandi price at this season's harvest so far (October–November 2026): about ₹2,578 a quintal across mandis in your state.
This week: about ₹2,650 a quintal, the middle of 11 mandis in your state (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹9,000 a season after typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹4,023 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹1,360 2021
- ₹1,700 2022
- ₹2,020 2023
- ₹2,250 2024
- ₹2,220 2025
Prices are usually best in March.
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 7.3 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.
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.
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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.