Niger Seed

Water

Rain is enough, even in a dry year.

Needs about 300 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 570 mm it can use in a normal year, and 490 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 18–26 °C on average, and survives 11–34 °C.

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

• Jun 33 °C / 25 °C (outside its best range)
• Jul 29 °C / 24 °C (outside its best range)
• Aug 29 °C / 24 °C (outside its best range)
• Sep 30 °C / 24 °C (outside its best range)

Months in orange are outside its best range.

Soil

Soil for Niger Seed: 8 out of 10 (good).

• The pH here suits it.
• Most fields here are short of nitrogen.
• Most fields here are short of phosphorus.
• Most fields here are short of organic carbon.

Likes pH 5.5–6.5.

Money

Yield: about 1.4 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).

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.

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.