The ICAR–National Soybean Research Institute (NSRI), Indore, has recorded encouraging preliminary yields of around 20 quintals per hectare from its improved soybean varieties NRC 268 and NRC 270, highlighting the potential to boost soybean production in India.
The findings emerged from a Soybean Harvest Day organised by the institute on October 9, 2026, during which one acre each cultivated under the two varieties was harvested to assess their yield potential under adverse weather conditions.
India's average soybean productivity currently stands at around 10–11 quintals per hectare. Research and trials conducted by ICAR–NSRI and under the All India Coordinated Research Project on Soybean indicate that adopting improved varieties and scientific cultivation practices can raise yields to 15–20 quintals per hectare. Under favourable conditions, productivity could reach 22–25 quintals per hectare.
Commenting on the preliminary results, Dr M. L. Jat, Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), and Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), highlighted the role of improved seed varieties and scientific production technologies in increasing agricultural productivity.
He said the preliminary yields of around 20 quintals per hectare from NRC 268 and NRC 270, despite adverse weather conditions this year, were encouraging. He added that detailed scientific analysis of the harvest data would help shape future research strategies to improve soybean productivity.
The Director of ICAR–NSRI, Indore, noted that systematic yield assessments over several years would help researchers understand productivity variations across regions, varieties and cultivation conditions. The resulting data would also support the evaluation of research outcomes and technology dissemination initiatives.
Soybean is an important raw material for the food processing and edible oil industries, making productivity improvements significant for agricultural supply chains. Higher yields could help strengthen domestic soybean availability and support the supply of soybean oil and other value-added products, subject to production trends and market demand.
ICAR–NSRI conducts such assessments to evaluate high-yielding varieties, study the impact of improved cultivation technologies and disseminate scientific farming practices among growers. The data collected during the latest harvest will be analysed further to establish a clearer understanding of varietal performance and identify opportunities to enhance soybean productivity in India.