Sunflower
Sow in July, harvest around October
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 37,130 acres here. Sold at 4 mandis in your district.
₹29,000–₹44,000
per acre a season, before costs
After typical costs: ₹6,000–₹21,000 an acre a season
- Needs care: Risky: 3 irrigations short
- Suits: Ideal temperatures
- Needs care: Soil 6/10
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 340 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 220 mm it can use in a normal year, and 130 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):
- Jul 31 °C / 23 °C
- Aug 31 °C / 23 °C
- Sep 31 °C / 23 °C
- Oct 32 °C / 22 °C
Soil
Soil for Sunflower: 6 out of 10 (okay).
Not in the score: phosphorus and salt.
- 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 6.0–7.5.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 4.7 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).
Mandi price at this season's harvest so far (October–November 2026): about ₹7,700 a quintal at mandis in your district.
This week: about ₹8,000 a quintal, the middle of 3 mandis in your district (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹15,000 a season after typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹8,343 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹5,640 2021
- ₹6,000 2022
- ₹4,470 2023
- ₹4,730 2024
Prices are usually best in July.
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
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Short of nitrogen Your soil is likely short of nitrogen.
Add about a quarter more urea than the usual dose, in two or three splits. A pulse crop in rotation also adds nitrogen.
About 100% of local fields of this crop get it.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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):
- Urea 100%
- Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 83%