Indore: India’s total soybean cultivation is expected to grow by about 2% during the 2025 kharif season, reaching around 119.69 lakh hectares, according to a recent survey by the Soyabean Processors Association of India (SOPA). The rise is mainly due to an increase in soybean planting in Maharashtra and Karnataka, even as parts of Madhya Pradesh are seeing a shift toward maize, reports The Times of India.
The survey found that districts such as Ashok Nagar, Guna, Shivpuri, Betul, Harda, Khandwa, and Khargone in Madhya Pradesh have reported a move from soybean to maize, as farmers find maize more profitable and in higher demand.
D. N. Pathak, executive director of SOPA, said in a statement, “Soybean crops are in stable condition in the main growing states. In Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, plants are growing well and look healthy.”
However, Madhya Pradesh—India’s top soybean-producing state—has seen a slight drop in acreage. As of July 31, soybean is being cultivated on 51.9 lakh hectares, slightly below last year’s figure of 52 lakh hectares.
In Maharashtra, districts like Nashik and Satara have also seen farmers switch some soybean fields to maize, red gram, and cotton. Despite this, the state’s total soybean area has increased to 48.2 lakh hectares, up from 45 lakh hectares last year.
Karnataka has shown the sharpest rise, with a 13% increase in soybean acreage compared to last year, according to SOPA’s findings.
The report highlights changing trends in crop choices, with farmers responding to shifting market demands and price benefits, while overall soybean cultivation in the country continues to grow.
