Kharif sowing update: Cotton, soybean show slower progress than last year

In the case of soybeans, traders said that total acreage covered could be lower than last year as farmers have struggled to get adequate price for their crops due to unregulated imports of edible oils

Sowing of kharif crops continued at a brisk pace during the week ended July 11, except for soybeans and cotton, where acreage dropped compared to the year-ago period.

 

In the case of soybeans, traders said total acreage could fall short of last year’s levels, as farmers have struggled to get adequate prices due to unregulated imports of edible oils. The Indore-based Soybean Processors Association of India (SOPA) expects a 5 per cent drop in soybean acreage for the 2025 season due to two consecutive years of low market prices. SOPA believes farmers may be tempted to shift to alternative crops