Soybean crop all over India is in normal to good condition, said the Soyabean Processors Association of India (SOPA), the apex trade body.

Based on the extensive field survey of the soyabean crop by two teams of SOPA official during the second fortnight of August, SOPA said the vegetative growth of the crop is excellent.

“Most crops are in flowering and pod formation stages. Soybean fields are mostly weed-free, and there is no significant attack of insects or diseases,” SOPA said, in a statement.

SOPA’s survey

SOPA teams covered 5787 kilometers in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan and visited soybean fields and interacted with a large number of farmers. “Due to excessive and continuous rains, in some districts of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, water logging has been seen in low lying areas, causing yellowing of leaves and there may be some damage to crop and also yield loss in these areas. Yellow mosaic is not a major concern in any state,” SOPA said.

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As per the Government estimates, soyabean has been planted in 120.37 lakh hectares, marginally lower than the same period last year’s 120.63 lakh ha. In Madhya Pradesh, the largest producer of soyabean, oilseed has been planted in 50.18 lakh ha. Similarly, in Maharashtra soyabean has been planted in 48.73 lakh ha and in Rajasthan, the acreages are estimated at 11.51 lakh ha.

“If the weather remains favorable in September and there is no sudden and significant variation in temperature and there are no continuous rains at pod filling stage or harvest time, we expect to reap a good soybean crop this year,” SOPA said.

SOPA further said the areas taken in this report are as per the Government estimates. SOPA’s own area estimation through satellite imagery is under process and the report will be available in the third week of September, it added.

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