July 13, 2007

India 2007 soybean output likely up despite rain damage
 

India's soybean production may rise 4 percent on-year in the 2007 crop year to 8.3 million tonnes despite damage to planted crops due to heavy rains, a senior government official told Dow Jones Newswires Friday (Jul 13).

"This year, about 80 percent of sowing was completed by Jun 30, giving farmers ample time to replant the crop damaged in recent rains over the next 15-20 days," said G.S. Chauhan, director of the state-run National Research Centre for Soybeans, based in the central Indian city of Indore.

Heavy rains in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra states since the first week of July have raised concerns among farmers and traders that soybean output may be reduced due to flooding.

The soybean crop, grown mostly in western and central India, is sown from June to August and harvested from September onward. The crop largely depends on the June-September monsoon rains.

Chauhan said overall soybean acreage may rise by 4 percent in the 2007 crop year to 8.4 million hectares as farmers switch to soybeans from sugar cane and sorghum.