India's soybean output to surge by over 31.5% : Soybean Processors Association of India

The Soybean Processors Association of India (SOPA) has estimated India's 2020-21 soyabean area will rise by over 8%, while production will increase by over 31.5% to 122.475 lakh tonnes compared to the previous year.

“An extensive field survey of soybean crop in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan was undertaken by two teams of SOPA from August 15 to 20. The teams travelled more than 6000 km and interacted with a number of farmers on the field,” said a release from SOPA.

Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra will be the main contributors to the rise owing to an increase in acreage and yields. Similarly, in Rajasthan, the area and production are likely to increase, it said.

In Madhya Pradesh, the soyabean area has gone up by about 12% in 2020-21 and crop production is estimated to be around 58.530 lakh tonne, as against 40,107 lakh tonnes in 2019-20. "In about 50% area, the crop is at the grain filling stage and will start arriving in the third week of September.”

Area under soyabean in Maharashtra is expected to rise by 5% to 39.292 lakh hectare and production by over 14% to 45.131 lakh tonne. SOPA has reduced the acreage in the state compared to the Agriculture ministry data by 6.389% as it said that during the survey, they found that farmers have gone for intercropping of soybean with tur in the state.

SOPA has commissioned a satellite-based area estimation and will be releasing the data in the coming month.

Good monsoon rainfall this year, particularly in key crop-growing areas, has boosted prospects of a bumper harvest. Area under oilseeds, rice and pulses is higher than last year, and crops are growing well favourable weather conditions.

Total monsoon rainfall since the start of the season on June 1 has been nearly 7% higher than average. Rainfall had weakened a bit in July, but the monsoon bounced back this month, delivering more than 22% above normal rainfall so far this month. In the key oilseeds-growing area of central India, total rainfall is 10% above normal, while rainfall so far in August is 44% more than average.