Soybean
Sow in July, harvest around October
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 2,542 acres here. Priced from mandis across India.
₹36,000–₹53,000
per acre a season, before costs
After typical costs: ₹19,000–₹37,000 an acre a season
- Needs care: Risky: 4 irrigations short
- Suits: Ideal temperatures
- Needs care: Soil 7/10
Why, and how to make it work Hide details
Water
Rain falls about 4 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.
Needs about 410 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 230 mm it can use in a normal year, and 150 mm in a dry year.
Temperature
Grows best at 20–33 °C on average, and survives 10–38 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Jul 35 °C / 26 °C
- Aug 34 °C / 25 °C
- Sep 33 °C / 25 °C
- Oct 33 °C / 24 °C
Soil
Soil for Soybean: 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.
- Many fields here are short of boron, which it needs a lot.
- Most fields here are short of organic carbon.
Likes pH 5.5–6.5.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 6.7 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).
Mandi price at this season's harvest so far (October–November 2026): about ₹6,700 a quintal across India's mandis.
Minimum support price: ₹5,708 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹6,140 2021
- ₹5,950 2022
- ₹4,790 2023
- ₹4,290 2024
- ₹4,130 2025
Prices are usually best in July.
Typical costs are about ₹16,000 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
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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.
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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.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
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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.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.