Urad (Black Gram)
Sow in July, harvest around October
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 1.0 lakh acres here. Sold at 23 mandis in your district.
₹23,000–₹34,000
per acre a season, before costs
After typical costs: ₹9,000–₹20,000 an acre a season
- Needs care: Risky: 1 irrigation short
- Suits: Ideal temperatures
- Suits: Soil 8/10
Why, and how to make it work Hide details
Water
Rain falls about 1 irrigation (5 cm) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.
Needs about 280 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 250 mm it can use in a normal year, and 160 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):
- Jul 30 °C / 22 °C
- Aug 29 °C / 22 °C
- Sep 30 °C / 21 °C
Soil
Soil for Urad (Black Gram): 8 out of 10 (good).
- 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.
- 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 3.1 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).
Mandi price at this season's harvest so far (October–November 2026): about ₹9,236 a quintal at mandis in your district.
This week: about ₹9,163 a quintal, the middle of 6 mandis in your district (latest 12 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹14,000 a season after typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹8,200 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹5,500 2021
- ₹5,230 2022
- ₹6,000 2023
- ₹6,930 2024
- ₹5,450 2025
Prices are usually best in November.
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 2.8 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.
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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.
About 28% of local fields of this crop get it.
-
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):
- Urea 49%
- Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 36%
- Single Super Phosphate (SSP) 28%
- Zinc Sulphate Heptahydrate / Monohydrate 10%