India's soybean production is estimated to fall 2.11% in the 2026 kharif season to 107.93 lakh tonnes, from 110.26 lakh tonnes a year earlier, according to the first crop estimate of the Soyabean Processors Association of India (SOPA), released at its international soybean conference in Indore, Rural Voice reported.
Prolonged dry spells and poor soil moisture at critical growth stages hurt the crop in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana. SOPA estimates that soybeans on 7.02 lakh hectares in those three states were completely destroyed and could not be harvested. Maharashtra's output is projected to drop 33.2% to 34.88 lakh tonnes.
Madhya Pradesh, the largest producer, is expected to harvest 57.16 lakh tonnes, up 32.2% from 43.24 lakh tonnes, as its area grew from 48.64 to 52.09 lakh hectares and average yield is projected to rise from 889 to 1,108 kg a hectare. Rajasthan's output is projected to rise 48.2% to 9.47 lakh tonnes. SOPA executive director D. N. Pathak said the gains in the two states should substantially make up for Maharashtra's losses.
Nationally, the soybean area rose about 5% to 117.73 lakh hectares from 112.14 lakh hectares in 2025, but drought and poor soil moisture affected 7.76 lakh hectares, leaving 109.98 lakh hectares to harvest. SOPA puts average yield on that area at 981 kg a hectare, against 983 kg last season, so total output falls despite the larger sowing.
SOPA's area figure is below the Agriculture Ministry's estimate of 123.16 lakh hectares, a gap that shows how industry and government estimates differ.
The report was written by Ajeet Singh.
Photo: Harry Rose / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Source: Rural Voice
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