Niger Seed
Sow in June, harvest around September
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
No figures for your district: its government crop records list no area or yield for this crop. Priced from mandis across India.
₹11,000–₹16,000
per acre a season, before costs
After typical costs: ₹2,000–₹8,000 an acre a season
- Suits: Rain is enough
- Needs care: Warm in June
- Suits: Soil 8/10
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 340 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 410 mm it can use in a normal year, and 330 mm in a dry year.
Temperature
Grows best at 18–26 °C on average, and survives 11–34 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Jun 37 °C / 27 °C (outside its best range)
- Jul 31 °C / 25 °C (outside its best range)
- Aug 30 °C / 24 °C (outside its best range)
- Sep 31 °C / 23 °C (outside its best range)
Months in orange are outside its best range.
Soil
Soil for Niger Seed: 8 out of 10 (good).
Not in the score: nitrogen and boron.
- The pH here suits it.
- Most fields here are short of organic carbon.
- Most fields here are short of iron.
Likes pH 5.5–6.5.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 1.3 quintals an acre, the typical figure across India (no figures for your state).
Mandi price at last season's harvest (September–October 2026): about ₹10,750 a quintal across India's mandis.
Minimum support price: ₹10,052 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹5,600 2021
- ₹6,380 2022
- ₹8,000 2023
- ₹8,000 2024
- ₹8,130 2025
Prices are usually best in August.
Typical costs are about ₹8,000 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
-
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.
-
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 34%