Timely arrival of the South-West monsoon in the key soyabean growing regions of central India has boosted planting of the oilseed with acreage estimated at 96 lakh hectares as on Sunday.

“According to the information gathered from various sources such as farmers and traders the sowing of soyabean has been completed on 96 lakh hectares as on June 28,” said the Soyabean Processors Association of India (SOPA), the apex industry body in a statement.

Madhya Pradesh, the largest producer of the oilseed, leads the acreage presently estimated at 54 lakh hectares (lh), followed by Maharashtra at 28 lh, Rajasthan at 6 lh and other States at 8 lh.

“We expect the area this year will be 7-10 per cent higher than last year,” SOPA said estimating that acreage could touch 118 lakh hectares. SOPA officials said the germination of the planted soyabean has been good and that farmers are switching over from crops such as cotton and paddy to the oilseed due to the timely arrival of the rains. Also, there is a preference for early maturing varieties such as 9560 – an 85-day crop.

SOPA expects acreage to touch 60 lh in Madhya Pradesh, 38 lh in Maharashtra, 10 lh in Rajasthan and another 10 lh in other States including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.

According to Skymet, a private forecaster, the monsoon will be slightly weak in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra from July 2-6 and light rains are expected on July 6 and 7. It will revive thereafter and there will be rainfall on July 13 and 14 and again between July 20 and 22. This is favourable for soyabean crop, SOPA added.

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