Wheat
Sow in December, harvest around April
Still sowing time: sow by the end of December.
Grown on 78,743 acres here. Sold at 4 mandis in your district.
₹8,000–₹11,000
per acre a season, before costs
Likely a loss at typical costs: ₹7,000–₹11,000 an acre a season
- Needs care: Risky: 12 irrigations short
- Needs care: Very hot in February
- Needs care: Soil 6/10
Why, and how to make it work Hide details
Water
Rain falls about 12 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.
Needs about 600 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 0 mm it can use in a normal year, and 0 mm in a dry year.
Temperature
Grows best at 15–25 °C on average, and survives 5–27 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Dec 31 °C / 16 °C
- Jan 31 °C / 17 °C
- Feb 34 °C / 18 °C (outside its best range)
- Mar 37 °C / 22 °C (outside its best range)
- Apr 39 °C / 24 °C (outside its best range)
Months in orange are outside its best range.
Days in February get hotter than it likes. Time sowing so it flowers before then.
Soil
Soil for Wheat: 6 out of 10 (okay).
- The pH here suits it.
- Many fields here are short of nitrogen, which it needs a lot.
- Many fields here are short of zinc, which it needs a lot.
- Most fields here are short of organic carbon.
Likes pH 6.0–8.0.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 4.1 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).
Mandi price at last season's harvest (April–May 2026): about ₹2,345 a quintal at mandis in your district.
This week: about ₹3,620 a quintal, the middle of 2 mandis in your district (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would lose about ₹4,000 a season at typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹2,610 a quintal (2027-28), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹2,050 2021
- ₹2,750 2022
- ₹2,900 2023
- ₹3,480 2024
Prices are usually best in November.
Typical costs are about ₹19,000 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 16 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.
-
Short of nitrogen Your soil is likely short of nitrogen.
Add about a quarter more urea than the usual dose, in two or three splits. A pulse crop in rotation also adds nitrogen.
About 88% of local fields of this crop get it.
-
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 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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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):
- Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 88%
- Urea 88%