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India's soybean production is projected to decline slightly by 2.11 per cent to 107.93 lakh tonnes during the current Kharif season. This forecast comes from the Soybean Processors Association of India (SOPA), which noted that overall output remains relatively stable despite challenging drought-like conditions in several key growing regions.
According to the association's first crop estimate report, presented at the conclusion of SOPA's international soybean conference in Indore, increased production in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan is expected to largely mitigate significant crop losses in Maharashtra. Soybean serves as a vital oilseed crop for India, providing a primary source for domestic cooking oil and a crucial protein base for the poultry and livestock industries.
The association attributed the production losses in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Telangana to prolonged dry spells and a critical deficiency of soil moisture during key growth stages. Approximately 7.02 lakh hectares of soybean crops across these three states were completely destroyed and could not be harvested.
'Madhya Pradesh has had a good soybean crop this time. The yield in Rajasthan has also been good,' SOPA Executive Director D.N. Pathak told PTI. He added that the higher output in these states has almost offset the losses in Maharashtra, further supported by a nationwide increase in cultivation area of approximately 5 lakh hectares compared to the previous season.
Specific data from SOPA indicates that Madhya Pradesh, India's leading producer of the oilseed, is forecast to reach 57.16 lakh tonnes—a 32.2 per cent increase from the 43.24 lakh tonnes recorded last year. The state's cultivation area expanded to 52.09 lakh hectares, with average yields projected to rise to 1,108 kg per hectare.
Conversely, Maharashtra's production is estimated to plunge 33.2 per cent to 34.88 lakh tonnes, while Rajasthan is expected to see a 48.2 per cent jump to 9.47 lakh tonnes. While total sowing covered 117.73 lakh hectares this season, deficient moisture affected the crop across 7.76 lakh hectares, reducing the actual harvested area to 109.98 lakh hectares with an average yield of 981 kg per hectare.
Source: Business Standard