Tobacco
A monsoon crop. Sow in Jun–Jul, harvest in Oct–Nov.
When to sow and harvest
Will it grow on your land?
Pick your place and water to see:
- Whether Tobacco suits your land Good fit, possible or won't work, with the reasons.
- What it could earn an acre From yields near you and mandi prices.
- Water and fertiliser it needs Irrigations for your water, and bags for one acre.
What it needs
Temperature
Survives 7–35 °C.
Water
Rain and irrigation together, worked out where most of it grows:
Soil pH
Likes slightly acidic soil. Grows from pH 4.5 to 7.5.
Source: FAO ECOCROP crop requirements (via OpenCLIM/ecocrop); FAO-56 crop coefficients (Allen et al. 1998); IMD gridded daily rainfall (0.25°); IMD gridded daily max/min temperature (1°).
Fertiliser for one acre
Watch out for
Mandi price, month by month
Rupees a quintal, typical across India's mandis.
Source: Agmarknet daily prices and arrivals (India Data Portal).
Where it grows in India
- Area grown in India
- 4,87,948 ha
- 2024-25
- Average yield
- 2.1 t/ha
- 2024-25
- Most area
- Tiruchirappalli
- Tamil Nadu
- Best yield
- Bareilly
- 7.5 t/ha
Where it grows most
The districts with the most area in recent years. The map colours every district growing it on at least 100 ha by yield; the numbers mark these districts.
- 1 Tiruchirappalli Tamil Nadu 15% 95,267 ha
- 2 Kheda Gujarat 13% 82,392 ha
- 3 Anand Gujarat 12% 77,710 ha
- 4 Mysuru Karnataka 10% 64,257 ha
- 5 Perambalur Tamil Nadu 10% 62,429 ha
- 6 Prakasam Andhra Pradesh 5.9% 36,779 ha
- 7 West Godavari Andhra Pradesh 2.8% 17,456 ha
- 8 Mahesana Gujarat 2.8% 17,360 ha
- 9 Cooch Behar West Bengal 2.1% 13,291 ha
- 10 Vadodara Gujarat 2.0% 12,486 ha
Tobacco yield
- 0.6–1.2 t/ha
- 1.3–1.8 t/ha
- 1.9–2.5 t/ha
- 2.5–3.0 t/ha
- 3.1–7.5 t/ha
1 Numbers match the list: the districts with the most area.
Source: Crop area, production & yield – district-wise (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare); Crop area, production & yield – UPAG (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare). 1998-99 to 2024-25.
Where yields are highest
Districts growing it on at least 100 ha, against the average across India. The line runs from India's average to each district.
- Bareilly Uttar Pradesh 7.5 t/ha 4.0× India
- Balrampur Uttar Pradesh 5.7 t/ha 3.0× India
- Etah Uttar Pradesh 5.5 t/ha 2.9× India
- Krishna Andhra Pradesh 5.3 t/ha 2.8× India
- Kasganj Uttar Pradesh 4.8 t/ha 2.6× India
- Gonda Uttar Pradesh 4.4 t/ha 2.3× India
- Sitapur Uttar Pradesh 4.3 t/ha 2.3× India
- Budaun Uttar Pradesh 4.3 t/ha 2.3× India
- Basti Uttar Pradesh 4.2 t/ha 2.3× India
- Ambedkar Nagar Uttar Pradesh 4.2 t/ha 2.2× India
Source: Crop area, production & yield – district-wise (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare); Crop area, production & yield – UPAG (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare). 1998-99 to 2024-25.
Across India over the years
Yield (t/ha)
Area (ha)
Only years in which most of the usual districts reported are shown.
Source: Crop area, production & yield – district-wise (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare); Crop area, production & yield – UPAG (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare). 1998-99 to 2024-25.
Soil and yield
How district soil tests line up with this crop's yields across India.
Tobacco yields tend to be higher in districts with
- More soil that is neutral strong 73 districts
- More soil low in organic carbon weak 73 districts
- More soil low in nitrogen weak 73 districts
Tobacco yields tend to be lower in districts with
- More soil that is acidic moderate 73 districts
- More soil high in organic carbon weak 73 districts
- More soil medium in nitrogen weak 73 districts
A pattern is not proof that soil causes the difference.
Source: Soil Health Card – soil nutrient analysis (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare); Crop area, production & yield – district-wise (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare); Crop area, production & yield – UPAG (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare).