Soybean
Sow in June, harvest around September
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 9.3 lakh acres here. Sold at 13 mandis in your district.
₹24,000–₹37,000
per acre a season, before costs
After typical costs: ₹8,000–₹20,000 an acre a season
- Needs care: Risky: 3 irrigations short
- Suits: Ideal temperatures
- Needs care: Soil 7/10
Why, and how to make it work Hide details
Water
Rain falls about 3 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.
Needs about 410 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 310 mm it can use in a normal year, and 230 mm in a dry year.
Temperature
Grows best at 20–33 °C on average, and survives 10–38 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Jun 34 °C / 23 °C
- Jul 30 °C / 22 °C
- Aug 30 °C / 21 °C
- Sep 30 °C / 21 °C
Soil
Soil for Soybean: 7 out of 10 (okay).
- The pH here suits it.
- Low nitrogen matters less: it makes its own.
- 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 phosphorus.
Likes pH 5.5–6.5.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 4.9 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).
Mandi price at last season's harvest (September–October 2026): about ₹6,185 a quintal at mandis in your district.
This week: about ₹6,953 a quintal, the middle of 4 mandis in your district (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹18,000 a season after typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹5,708 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹6,300 2021
- ₹6,080 2022
- ₹4,850 2023
- ₹4,410 2024
- ₹4,200 2025
Prices are usually best in July.
Typical costs are about ₹16,000 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 5.9 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.
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Short of phosphorus Your soil is likely short of phosphorus.
Add about a quarter more DAP or single super phosphate than the usual dose, at sowing.
About 53% of local fields of this crop get it.
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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.
Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.
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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.
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Short of zinc Your soil is likely short of zinc.
Mix 10 kg of zinc sulphate per acre into the soil before sowing. One dose lasts two or three seasons.
Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.
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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.
What local farmers put on it (share of fields):
- Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 53%
- Urea 23%
- Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) 11%
- Urea Ammonium Phosphate 4%