Sunflower
Sow in June, harvest around September
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
No figures for your district: its government crop records list no area or yield for this crop. Priced from mandis across India.
₹32,000–₹49,000
per acre a season, before costs
After typical costs: ₹9,000–₹25,000 an acre a season
- Needs care: Risky: 3 irrigations short
- Suits: Ideal temperatures
- Suits: Soil 8/10
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 380 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 270 mm it can use in a normal year, and 180 mm in a dry year.
Temperature
Grows best at 17–34 °C on average, and survives 5–45 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Jun 39 °C / 26 °C
- Jul 35 °C / 26 °C
- Aug 34 °C / 26 °C
- Sep 34 °C / 23 °C
Soil
Soil for Sunflower: 8 out of 10 (good).
Not in the score: nitrogen and boron.
- The pH here suits it.
- Most fields here are short of phosphorus.
- Most fields here are short of potassium.
- Most fields here are short of manganese.
Likes pH 6.0–7.5.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 7.6 quintals an acre, the typical figure in your state (its government crop records list none for your district).
On rain alone it gets about 72% of the water it needs, so the money here is worked at 72% of this yield.
Mandi price at last season's harvest (September–October 2026): about ₹7,446 a quintal across India's mandis.
This week: about ₹7,283 a quintal, the middle of 20 mandis across India (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹16,000 a season after typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹8,343 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹5,570 2021
- ₹5,590 2022
- ₹4,440 2023
- ₹4,340 2024
- ₹4,960 2025
Prices are usually best in August.
Typical costs are about ₹23,000 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
-
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 18% of local fields of this crop get it.
-
Short of potassium Your soil is likely short of potassium.
Add about a quarter more potash (MOP) than the usual dose.
Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.
-
Short of manganese Your soil is likely short of manganese.
Spray manganese sulphate, 5 g per litre of water, on the young crop.
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):
- Urea 100%
- Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 18%
- Muriate of Potash (MOP) 4%