Mustard Farming — Organic Guide

Mustard (Brassica juncea / B. nigra) is India’s second most important oilseed crop, grown on 75 lakh+ acres across Rajasthan, UP, Haryana, and parts of Karnataka. Organic certified mustard seed fetches ₹8,000–12,000/quintal versus ₹5,500–7,000 MSP for conventional. At 6–9 quintals/acre yield in just 90–110 days, organic mustard delivers ₹30,000–55,000/acre net income — ideal as a rabi catch crop after paddy or kharif pulses.

Which mustard varieties are best for organic farming?

Pusa Bold (NPJ-93): The most widely grown Indian mustard variety — high yield (7–9 qtl/acre), 110–115 days, good oil content (37–40%). Tolerates moderate salinity. Best for UP and Rajasthan.

DRMRIJ-31 (Rajasthan): Disease-tolerant line developed by DRMR Bharatpur — specifically selected for reduced chemical dependency. High oil content (42%). Strongly recommended for organic farmers.

Karnataka-specific: Varuna (T-59) is the most adapted variety in North Karnataka’s Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, and Belagavi districts. It’s the oldest mustard variety still widely grown — robust, reliable, seed saving works perfectly season after season.

Black Mustard (Brassica nigra): Grown primarily in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for condiment use. Small dark seeds with pungent flavour — “rai” in local Kannada cooking. Fetches ₹12,000–18,000/quintal as organic spice mustard in South Indian markets.

What conditions does mustard need?

Mustard is a cool-season crop that grows best in 10–25°C temperatures. In Karnataka, sow October–November in northern districts (Dharwad, Belagavi, Haveri, Gadag). In north India, sow October 15 – November 10.

Soil: Grows in a wide range of soils from sandy loam to clay loam, pH 6.0–7.5. Tolerates mild salinity (EC up to 6 dS/m better than most crops). Avoid waterlogged or compacted soils — mustard roots are sensitive to poor aeration.

Rainfall/water: Only 2–3 irrigations needed in most parts. Where rainfall is 400–600 mm in the rabi season, mustard can be grown as rainfed. Frost at flowering (common in North India) causes significant yield loss — choose early-maturing varieties in frost-prone areas.

How do you plant mustard organically?

Seed rate: 2–2.5 kg/acre for line sowing (30 cm rows). Broadcasting wastes seed and prevents weed control.

Seed treatment: Trichoderma viride (5 g/kg seed) + Pseudomonas fluorescens (10 g/kg) applied as slurry. Allow seed to air-dry for 30 minutes before sowing.

Soil preparation: One deep ploughing, two harrowings. Apply 2–3 tonnes vermicompost or 5–6 tonnes FYM before final ploughing. Mustard is a responsive crop — good organic matter significantly improves branching and siliqua number.

Intercropping: Mustard + lentil (6:2 rows) or mustard + chickpea (4:2 rows) — these traditional systems use Brassica’s allelopathic properties to suppress weeds while the legume provides nitrogen. Combined system income exceeds sole mustard by ₹12,000–20,000/acre.

Weed management: First weeding at 20–25 DAS. Mustard is fast-growing and shades out most weeds by 40 DAS — usually only one weeding is needed in well-prepared soils.

What pests and diseases threaten organic mustard?

How and when do you harvest mustard?

Mustard is ready when 75–80% of siliquae (pods) turn golden-yellow and leaves are shed. Do not wait for complete maturity — pods shatter and major yield loss occurs. The harvest window is only 5–7 days.

Harvesting: Cut plants at ground level early morning when dew softens the plants slightly (reduces shattering). Stack on clean tarpaulin for 3–5 days sun-drying. Thresh with a power thresher at medium speed. Winnow and clean.

Oil extraction: For village-level oil pressing, take seeds to an expeller press (ghani) — organic mustard oil fetches ₹250–400/litre at direct sale versus ₹100–130/litre at APMC. Value addition through oil pressing adds ₹20,000–35,000 to net returns.

Straw: Mustard straw is a useful cattle feed additive and excellent compost material. 8–12 quintals straw/acre — worth ₹1,500–2,500.

What income can organic mustard deliver?

Market Channel	Yield	Price	Input Cost	Net
APMC (conventional)	7 qtl	₹5,500	₹15,000	₹23,500
Organic seed (certified)	7 qtl	₹10,000	₹12,000	₹58,000
Organic oil (expeller)	7 qtl → 28 litres oil	₹350/litre	₹18,000	₹61,800

Sarson ka tel (organic cold-pressed mustard oil) sold directly to urban consumers — through monthly subscription boxes or farmer markets in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, or Delhi — fetches ₹400–600/litre, transforming mustard into a premium product with ₹80,000–1,20,000/acre potential.

Ready to start your organic farming journey?

Get everything you need from our store — seeds, bio-inputs, and farm tools.

Shop Organic Mandya →

Last updated: March 2026