Sesame (Til)
Sow in July, harvest around October
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 884 acres here. Priced from mandis across your state.
₹39,000–₹58,000
per acre a season, before costs
After typical costs: ₹24,000–₹44,000 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 in a normal year. Keep one irrigation ready for a dry year.
Needs about 330 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 320 mm it can use in a normal year, and 250 mm in a dry year.
Temperature
Grows best at 20–30 °C on average, and survives 10–40 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Jul 31 °C / 22 °C
- Aug 30 °C / 21 °C
- Sep 30 °C / 21 °C
- Oct 31 °C / 20 °C
Soil
Soil for Sesame (Til): 8 out of 10 (good).
Not in the score: phosphorus.
- 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 iron.
Likes pH 5.5–7.5.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 3.8 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).
Mandi price at this season's harvest so far (October–November 2026): about ₹12,763 a quintal across mandis in your state.
This week: about ₹14,050 a quintal, the middle of 5 mandis in your state (latest 12 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹39,000 a season after typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹10,346 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹7,920 2021
- ₹10,360 2022
- ₹15,810 2023
- ₹11,750 2024
- ₹8,730 2025
Prices swing a lot from year to year, so income can be well above or below this range.
Prices are usually best in November.
Typical costs are about ₹15,000 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 1.9 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.
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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.
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.
-
Short of boron Your soil is likely short of boron.
Mix 4 kg of borax per acre into the soil before sowing.
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):
- Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 100%