Soybean, Wheat, and Satpura Agriculture Tradition of Betul

Betul high rainfall and deep black cotton soils in the valleys make it one of the most productive agricultural districts of Madhya Pradesh. Soybean dominates kharif, transforming the economy from subsistence millet farming since its introduction in the early 1980s. Cotton is grown in the eastern tehsils of Betul where Vidarbha black soil extends north. Wheat in rabi benefits from residual soil moisture after soybean harvest, requiring minimal irrigation. Traditional sorghum and minor millet cultivation persists in tribal household plots for food security. The Betul mandi handles substantial soybean volume traded to crushing plants in Nagpur and Dewas. Women self-help groups have developed collective marketing for surplus vegetables grown in the kitchen garden plots adjacent to main field crops.