Soybean Area May Hit 119.43 Lakh Hectares by Mid-July: SOPA

17-Jul-2025 08:09 PM

Indore. Soybean, the major oilseed crop of the Kharif season, is being sown actively across key producing states, including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, and other smaller states. However, a notable discrepancy of nearly 10 lakh hectares has emerged between the government’s sowing data and estimates by the Soybean Processors Association of India (SOPA).

According to data from the Union Ministry of Agriculture, the total soybean sowing area nationwide had reached 109.56 lakh hectares by July 14.

This includes 47.96 lakh hectares in Madhya Pradesh, 44.68 lakh hectares in Maharashtra, 9.29 lakh hectares in Rajasthan, and 1.90 lakh hectares in Gujarat.

In addition, Telangana had reported 1.23 lakh hectares of sowing as of July 9, Karnataka 4.02 lakh hectares as of July 11, and Chhattisgarh and other states reported 14 thousand and 35 thousand hectares respectively.

In contrast, SOPA's estimates for the same period place the total national soybean area at 119.43 lakh hectares. According to their data, Madhya Pradesh accounts for 51.90 lakh hectares, Maharashtra 48.20 lakh hectares, Rajasthan 10.80 lakh hectares, and Gujarat 2.56 lakh hectares.

Karnataka and Telangana’s figures remain at 4.02 lakh hectares (as of July 11) and 1.47 lakh hectares (as of July 9), respectively. Figures for Chhattisgarh and other states are the same as government data.

A comparative analysis reveals that SOPA’s sowing estimates are significantly higher than government figures in the top three producing states—Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan—as well as in Gujarat.

The figures for Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, and other states are consistent across both sources, while in Telangana, SOPA’s data shows an area about 24 thousand hectares greater than the government’s report.