Urad (Black Gram)
Sow in July, harvest around October
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 1,760 acres here. Sold at 1 mandi in your district.
₹31,000–₹46,000
per acre a season, before costs
After typical costs: ₹17,000–₹32,000 an acre a season
- Suits: Rain is enough
- Suits: Ideal temperatures
- Needs care: Soil 6/10
Why, and how to make it work Hide details
Water
Rain is enough, even in a dry year.
Needs about 290 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 680 mm it can use in a normal year, and 480 mm in a dry year.
Heavy rain here can waterlog it. Grow it on raised beds or land that drains well.
Temperature
Grows best at 22–35 °C on average, and survives 8–40 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Jul 34 °C / 26 °C
- Aug 33 °C / 26 °C
- Sep 33 °C / 24 °C
Soil
Soil for Urad (Black Gram): 6 out of 10 (okay).
- The pH here suits it.
- Salt in the soil here can harm it.
- Low nitrogen matters less: it makes its own.
- Most fields here are short of organic carbon.
Likes pH 5.5–6.5.
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 ₹8,254 a quintal at mandis in your district.
This week: about ₹7,728 a quintal, the middle of 184 mandis across India (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹22,000 a season after typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹8,200 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
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 2.6 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.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.