Indore (commoditiescontrol)- Soybean production in the country this year has been pegged at 122.476 lakh metric tones against 93.062 lakh metric tonnes. The latest soybean production estimate in the country has been given by the Soybean Processors Association of India on the basis of field study of the crop condition of soybean in all the major soybean growing states in the country between the periods August 15 to 20 this month.
Of various states, soy production in Madhya Pradesh this year has been pegged at 58.530 lakh metric tonnes against 40.107 lakh metric tonnes in 2010. Similarly, soy production in Maharashtra this year has been estimated at 45.131 lah metric tonnes against 39.416 lakh metric tonnes last year, while in Rajasthan, the soybean output has been estimated at 10.585 lakh metric tonnes against 6.560 lakh metric tonnes. However, according to Dr D N Pathak, Executive Director, SOP, the crop numbers may change depending on the weather condition and rainfall during the next one month.
Going by the latest SOPA estimate, soybean sowing in the country this year has shown an enthusiastic rise at 116.435 lakh hectares against 107.613 lakh hectares last year. Madhya Pradesh led the sowing area with 58.300 lakh hectares, followed by Maharashtra with 39.292 lakh hectares and Rajasthan with 10.585 lakh hectares respectively. In Maharashtra, sowing area of soybean which had been pegged at 41.974 lakh hectares shrunk 39.292 lakh hectares due to intercropping of soybean with Tur.
Barring scattered reports of soybean crop being affected by yellow mosaic virus in small parts of Khandwa, Neemuch, Mandsaur and Indore districts, the overall condition of soybean crop in Madhya Pradesh, Rajastha and Maharashtra has been stated as normal and insect free.
In about 50% of the area in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the crop is at grain filling stage, while in rest of the area, the crop is in pod formation stage, said SOPA chairman, Dr Davish Jain adding that the arrival of new soybean crops from these states will likely begin from the 3rd week of September. In Maharashtra however, most of the soybean crops are weeds and insect free and are in pod formation stage.