October 24, 2024

 

Soybean production rises by 6% in India's kharif season, reports trade body

Soybean production in India has increased by approximately 6% to nearly 12.6 million tonnes during the current kharif season (June to October), according to the Soybean Processors Association of India (SOPA), due to favourable weather conditions, Business Standard reported.

 

The acreage under soybean cultivation remained almost unchanged compared to the previous season, the trade body noted.

 

During the last kharif season, the average soybean productivity across the country was 1,002 kg per hectare. This year, productivity has risen to 1,063 kg per hectare, according to D N Pathak, Executive Director of SOPA.

 

"The distribution of monsoon rains in key soybean-producing areas was beneficial this year, which contributed to an improved crop yield. Additionally, farmers have adopted advanced farming techniques, further enhancing production," Pathak explained.

 

However, Pathak also pointed out that after the initial sowing during the 2023 kharif season, many fields in major soybean-producing areas experienced a lack of rain for three weeks in August. This shortage of moisture negatively impacted crop productivity.

 

As per SOPA's estimates, soybean was sown across 11.83 million hectares this season, resulting in a production yield of 12.58 million tonnes.

 

In comparison, during the 2023 kharif season, soybean was sown in 11.85 million hectares, and the yield was around 11.87 million tonnes, according to the association's data.

 

Madhya Pradesh, the largest soybean-producing state in the country, saw the crop sown over approximately 5.2 million hectares, with a production yield of 5.54 million tonnes, SOPA reported.

 

For the current kharif season, Maharashtra's soybean production is estimated at 5.02 million tonnes, sown over 4.5 million hectares. In Rajasthan, soybean was cultivated on 1.11 million hectares, with a yield of approximately 1.05 million tonnes.

 

India continues to import around 60% of its edible oil requirements. In this context, experts have highlighted the need to boost the production of major oilseed crops like soybean to achieve self-sufficiency in edible oil production.

 

To support soybean farmers, the central government has increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the 2024-25 marketing season. The MSP has been raised to INR 4,892 (US$58.19) per quintal, compared to INR 4,600 (US$54.71) per quintal in the previous season.

 

-      Business Standard