Niger Seed

Water

Rain is enough, even in a dry year.

Needs about 360 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 520 mm it can use in a normal year, and 380 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 40 °C / 29 °C (outside its best range)
• Jul 33 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)
• Aug 31 °C / 25 °C (outside its best range)
• Sep 33 °C / 24 °C (outside its best range)

Months in orange are outside its best range.

Days in June get hotter than it likes. Time sowing so it flowers before then.

Soil

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

• The pH here suits it.
• Many fields here are short of boron, which it needs a lot.
• Most fields here are short of nitrogen.
• Most fields here are short of organic carbon.

Likes pH 5.5–6.5.

Money

Yield: about 1.3 quintals an acre, the typical figure in your state (your district's own figure looked wrong).

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.

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.