Sunflower

Water

Rain falls about 1 irrigation (5 cm) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.

Needs about 310 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 260 mm it can use in a normal year, and 160 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 31 °C / 22 °C
• Jul 28 °C / 22 °C
• Aug 28 °C / 21 °C
• Sep 29 °C / 21 °C

Soil

Soil for Sunflower: 8 out of 10 (good).

• The pH here suits it.
• Many fields here are short of sulphur, which it needs a lot.
• Most fields here are short of nitrogen.
• Most fields here are short of iron.

Likes pH 6.0–7.5.

Money

Yield: about 2.2 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).

On rain alone it gets about 85% of the water it needs, so the money here is worked at 85% of this yield.

Mandi price at last season's harvest (September–October 2026): about ₹6,929 a quintal across mandis in your state.

This week: about ₹7,283 a quintal, the middle of 20 mandis across India (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would lose about ₹10,000 a season at typical costs.

Minimum support price: ₹8,343 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.

Prices are usually best in November.

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.