Urad (Black Gram)
Sow in July, harvest around October
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 6.6 acres here. Sold at 2 mandis in your district.
₹15,000–₹22,000
per acre a season, before costs
After typical costs: ₹776–₹8,000 an acre a season
- Needs care: Risky: 2 irrigations short
- Suits: Ideal temperatures
- Needs care: Soil 7/10
Why, and how to make it work Hide details
Water
Rain falls about 2 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.
Needs about 270 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 190 mm it can use in a normal year, and 100 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 28 °C / 20 °C
- Aug 28 °C / 20 °C
- Sep 29 °C / 20 °C
Soil
Soil for Urad (Black Gram): 7 out of 10 (okay).
- 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 zinc.
Likes pH 5.5–6.5.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 2.1 quintals an acre, the typical figure in your state (your district's own figure looked wrong).
On rain alone it gets about 71% of the water it needs, so the money here is worked at 71% of this yield.
Mandi price at this season's harvest so far (October–November 2026): about ₹12,225 a quintal at mandis in your district.
This week: about ₹8,951 a quintal, the middle of 12 mandis in your state (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would lose about ₹483 a season at typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹8,200 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹9,550 2021
- ₹9,110 2022
- ₹10,340 2023
- ₹11,650 2024
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 2.9 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.
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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.
Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.
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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.
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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%