Urad (Black Gram)
Sow in June, harvest around September
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 4,602 acres here. Priced from mandis across your state.
₹10,000–₹15,000
per acre a season, before costs
At typical costs, from a loss of ₹4,000 to a profit of ₹450 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, even in a dry year.
Needs about 290 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 440 mm it can use in a normal year, and 350 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):
- Jun 39 °C / 27 °C
- Jul 32 °C / 25 °C
- Aug 31 °C / 25 °C
Soil
Soil for Urad (Black Gram): 8 out of 10 (good).
Not in the score: phosphorus.
- 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 1.7 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).
Mandi price at last season's harvest (September–October 2026): about ₹7,125 a quintal across mandis in your state.
This week: about ₹7,143 a quintal, the middle of 94 mandis in your state (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would lose about ₹2,000 a season at typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹8,200 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹4,950 2021
- ₹4,420 2022
- ₹6,000 2023
- ₹5,650 2025
Prices are usually best in July.
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.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
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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.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.