Urad (Black Gram)
Sow in July, harvest around October
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 62,464 acres here. Sold at 8 mandis in your district.
₹11,000–₹16,000
per acre a season, before costs
At typical costs, from a loss of ₹3,000 to a profit of ₹2,000 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 280 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 310 mm it can use in a normal year, and 240 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 32 °C / 24 °C
- Aug 31 °C / 24 °C
- Sep 31 °C / 23 °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 organic carbon.
- Most fields here are short of iron.
Likes pH 5.5–6.5.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 1.6 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).
Mandi price at this season's harvest so far (October–November 2026): about ₹8,488 a quintal at mandis in your district.
This week: about ₹8,801 a quintal, the middle of 36 mandis in your state (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would lose about ₹169 a season at typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹8,200 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹4,900 2021
- ₹5,000 2022
- ₹7,000 2023
- ₹7,430 2024
- ₹5,430 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 2.9 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.
-
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 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 42%
- Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 39%
- Potassium Sulphate 21%
- NPK Mixture 13%