Niger Seed
Sow in June, harvest around September
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 188 acres here. Priced from mandis across your state.
₹10,000–₹16,000
per acre a season, before costs
After typical costs: ₹2,000–₹7,000 an acre a season
- Suits: Rain is enough
- Needs care: Warm in June
- Suits: Soil 9/10
Why, and how to make it work Hide details
Water
Rain is enough, even in a dry year.
Needs about 320 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 650 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):
- Jun 37 °C / 27 °C (outside its best range)
- Jul 30 °C / 24 °C (outside its best range)
- Aug 30 °C / 24 °C (outside its best range)
- Sep 31 °C / 24 °C (outside its best range)
Months in orange are outside its best range.
Soil
Soil for Niger Seed: 9 out of 10 (good).
- The pH here suits it.
Likes pH 5.5–6.5.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 1.2 quintals an acre here (district figures).
Mandi price at last season's harvest (September–October 2026): about ₹11,150 a quintal across mandis in your state.
Minimum support price: ₹10,052 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹6,460 2022
- ₹8,400 2023
- ₹8,380 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
The better districts with similar soil, rain and warmth get 1.6 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.
What local farmers put on it (share of fields):
- Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 100%
- Urea 100%