The Soyabean Processors Association of India (SOPA) has revised upwards the crop estimates for kharif 2022 at 124.11 lakh tonnes on higher yields. The earlier estimates had pegged the 2022 crop size at 120.39 lakh tonnes (lt).

SOPA, which had undertaken the mid-term review of the crop estimates based on the recent field survey, said the upward revision was on account of higher yields, which are at 1,051 kg per hectare compared with the earlier projections of 1,084 kg/ha.

Top States

In Madhya Pradesh, the largest producing State, the output is seen higher at 54.13 lt against the earlier estimate of 53.26 lt, SOPA said. Yields in MP are higher at 1,069 kg/ha ( 1,051 kg/ha).

In Maharashtra, the production is estimated higher at 49.25 lt (46.91 lt) with yields improving to 1,134 kg/ha (1,080 kg/ha).

Similarly in Rajasthan, the third largest producer, the higher yields have pushed up the output to 10.34 lt (9.85 lt). The output has remained unchanged in all the other minor producing states of Karnataka, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and others.

SOPA teams had carried out the survey from March 22 to April 3, covering an area of around 7,000 kms in 37 major soyabean growing districts of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. The field survey covered interaction with APMCs, farmers, traders, brokers, soybean processors, warehouses and stockists.

SOPA said farmers are still holding about half of their produce in the hope of higher prices seen in last two years. Their expected price is around ₹7,000 per quintal, while the modal prices of soyabean in various mandis of Madhya Pradesh ranged between ₹4,900 and ₹5,355 per quintal.

SOPA’s final crop estimates are lower than the Agriculture Ministry’s second advanced estimates of 139.75 lt for 2022-23. In the previous year, the Government had estimated the output at 129.87 lt.

comment COMMENT NOW