Soybean Cultivation in Baran: Hadoti's Black Cotton Soil

Baran district's black cotton (vertisol) soils in the Hadoti plateau are among Rajasthan's most fertile, supporting substantial soybean cultivation as the primary kharif cash crop. Baran is part of the Rajasthan soybean belt that has expanded significantly since the 1980s when improved varieties and assured procurement became available. Farmers cultivate JS-335 and NRC-37 soybean varieties, sowing in late June after the first monsoon rains and harvesting in October. The crop's nitrogen-fixing properties reduce fertiliser costs for subsequent wheat cultivation. Baran district's cooperative processing units crush soybean for oil, selling protein-rich cake as animal feed supplement to dairy farmers. Weekly mandi arrivals in Baran town are one of Rajasthan's significant soybean trading points. Women in Baran villages prepare soybean-based foods including toasted seeds, soy milk, and mixed-flour rotis for household nutrition.