Urad (Black Gram)
Sow in June, harvest around September
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 80,618 acres here. Sold at 2 mandis in your district.
₹13,000–₹20,000
per acre a season, before costs
At typical costs, from a loss of ₹754 to a profit of ₹6,000 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 340 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 370 mm it can use in a normal year, and 250 mm in a dry year.
Temperature
Grows best at 22–35 °C on average, and survives 8–40 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Jun 41 °C / 29 °C
- Jul 35 °C / 26 °C
- Aug 33 °C / 26 °C
Soil
Soil for Urad (Black Gram): 8 out of 10 (good).
Not in the score: nitrogen and boron.
- The pH here suits it.
- Salt in the soil here can harm it.
- Most fields here are short of organic carbon.
- Most fields here are short of zinc.
- Most fields here are short of iron.
Likes pH 5.5–6.5.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 2.0 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).
Mandi price at last season's harvest (October 2026): about ₹8,309 a quintal at mandis in your district.
This week: about ₹7,084 a quintal, the middle of 17 mandis in your state (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹122 a season after typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹8,200 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹6,340 2021
- ₹5,100 2022
- ₹6,500 2023
- ₹7,360 2024
- ₹4,680 2025
Prices are usually best in October.
Typical costs are about ₹14,000 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 3.0 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.
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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.
-
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.
What local farmers put on it (share of fields):
- Urea 76%
- Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 22%
- Single Super Phosphate (SSP) 11%
- Zinc Sulphate Heptahydrate / Monohydrate 2%