Niger Seed
Sow in July, harvest around October
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 5,702 acres here. Priced from mandis across your state.
₹5,000–₹7,000
per acre a season, before costs
Likely a loss at typical costs: ₹1,000–₹4,000 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 300 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 680 mm it can use in a normal year, and 570 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):
- Jul 29 °C / 23 °C
- Aug 28 °C / 23 °C
- Sep 29 °C / 22 °C
- Oct 30 °C / 20 °C
Soil
Soil for Niger Seed: 8 out of 10 (good).
- The pH here suits it.
- Many fields here are short of sulphur, which it needs a lot.
- Many fields here are short of boron, which it needs a lot.
- Most fields here are short of nitrogen.
Likes pH 5.5–6.5.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 0.7 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).
Mandi price at this season's harvest so far (October 2026): about ₹8,225 a quintal across mandis in your state.
Minimum support price: ₹10,052 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹6,030 2022
- ₹6,000 2023
- ₹7,100 2024
- ₹6,230 2025
Prices are usually best in September.
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
The better districts with similar soil, rain and warmth get 1.4 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 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.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
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Short of sulphur Your soil is likely short of sulphur.
Use single super phosphate instead of DAP, or add about 100 kg of gypsum per acre before sowing.
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.