1. INTRODUCTION: WHY BEETROOT IS A HIGH-VALUE GLOBAL CROP


Beetroot (Beta vulgaris) is a rapidly expanding commercial vegetable crop grown in over 80+ countries. Known for its high nutritional value, medicinal benefits, juice industry demand, and strong export market, beetroot has become one of the fastest-growing root crops in global agriculture.

The crop is in demand among:

Juice industries

Salad and fresh markets

Retail chains

Hotels & catering services

Frozen vegetable processors

Exporters

Ready-to-cook food brands

Nutraceutical industries


Beetroot’s rising popularity is driven by its:

Anti-inflammatory properties

High iron and folate content

Natural red pigment (betanin)

Use in health drinks, detox beverages, powders


One-acre beetroot farming offers:

Extremely fast maturity (55–80 days)

Very high yield (10–16 tons per acre)

Strong year-round demand

Low risk & low maintenance

High-quality markets in multiple countries

Stable pricing


Beetroot suits both new farmers and established agribusiness professionals.


2. CLIMATE REQUIREMENTS


Beetroot is a cool-season root vegetable that thrives in the following conditions:

Temperature: 16–22°C

Minimum: 8°C

Maximum: 32°C

Sunlight: 6–8 hours

Humidity: 60–70%


Top Global Beetroot Producing Regions

USA (California, Wisconsin, Minnesota)

Europe (Germany, Poland, France, Netherlands, UK)

China

India (Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka)

Russia

Australia

South Africa

Kenya


It tolerates mild frost but cannot tolerate high heat.


3. SOIL REQUIREMENTS


Beetroot requires loose, deep, fertile soil for proper root expansion.

Ideal Soil

Sandy loam to loam

Soil pH: 6.0–7.0

Organic matter: Very High

Good drainage essential

Zero hardpan or stones


Soil Preparation Per Acre

1. Deep plough (2–3 times)


2. Remove all stones & clods


3. Add 4–6 tons compost/FYM


4. Add 50 kg neem cake


5. Create 3–4 ft wide raised beds


6. Fine tilth so roots become straight and uniform



Hard soil results in cracked, deformed roots — the biggest problem in beetroot farming.



4. SEED RATE, SEED TREATMENT & SOWING METHOD


Seed Rate per Acre

2–3 kg hybrid beetroot seeds

3–4 kg open-pollinated seeds


Seed Treatment

Soak 5–6 hours in water

Treat with Trichoderma

Shade-dry 30 minutes


Sowing Depth

1–1.5 cm (shallow sowing)

Germination Time

5–8 days (cool climate)


5. GLOBAL HYBRID VARIETIES OF BEETROOT


Popular International Hybrids

Detroit Dark Red

Ruby Queen

Crimson Globe

Red Ace

Pablo F1

Boltardy

Cylindra (long shape, high yield)

Chioggia (export premium)


Heat-Tolerant Varieties

Kestrel

Boro F1


Hybrid beetroot gives:

Uniform root size

Brighter red color

Higher sweetness

Longer shelf life

Higher yield


6. PLANTING LAYOUT AND SPACING


Ideal Spacing

Row-to-row: 1 ft (30 cm)

Plant-to-plant: 8–10 cm


Plant Population

80,000 – 1,00,000 plants per acre

Sowing Methods

Line sowing

Seed drill

Manual broadcasting (not recommended)


Proper spacing ensures round, uniform roots for fresh market & export.



7. IRRIGATION REQUIREMENT (DETAILED SCHEDULE)


Beetroot requires consistent soil moisture.

Week 1–2

Light irrigation daily

Helps germination


Week 3–5

Irrigate every 2–3 days


Week 6–9 (Root Bulking Stage)

Most critical phase

Irrigate every 2 days

Moisture stress leads to cracking


Week 10–12 (Maturity)

Irrigate every 4–5 days


Water Requirement (Drip)

350–500 liters per day per acre

Best Irrigation Method

Drip irrigation → helps in uniform root size, color, and weight.


8. FERTILIZER SCHEDULE (MONTH-BY-MONTH PROGRAM)


Basal Dose

FYM: 4–6 tons

Neem cake: 50 kg

NPK 10:26:26 → 40 kg


FERTIGATION PROGRAM

Month 1 (Vegetative Growth)

NPK 19:19:19 → 4 kg/week

Urea → 3 kg/week

Calcium nitrate → 3 kg/week


Month 2 (Root Development)

Potassium nitrate → 5 kg/week

Magnesium sulphate → 2 kg/week

SOP → 3 kg/week


Month 3 (Bulking & Maturity)

MKP 0:52:34 → 3 kg/week

Sulphur → 2 kg/week


Micronutrient Sprays

Every 20 days:

Boron 0.2% → prevents root cracking

Zinc 0.5%

Calcium chloride 0.5%


Beetroot is highly responsive to potassium and boron.


9. WEED MANAGEMENT


Weeds compete aggressively with beetroot seedlings.

Control Measures

Pendimethalin (pre-emergence)

Hand weeding (2–3 times)

Mulching with straw or plastic


Mulching boosts root size and improves color.


10. PEST MANAGEMENT

Major Pests

1. Aphids

Control: Imidacloprid


2. Leaf miner

Control: Cypermethrin

3. Cutworms

Control: Chlorpyrifos soil drench


4. Beet Armyworm

Control: Emamectin benzoate


11. DISEASE MANAGEMENT


1. Leaf Spot

Control: Mancozeb + Carbendazim

2. Downy Mildew

Control: Metalaxyl

3. Root Rot

Control: Trichoderma + soil drainage improvement

4. Cercospora Leaf Blight

Control: Copper oxychloride

Disease-free fields produce uniform red roots ideal for export.


12. THINNING (VERY IMPORTANT)


Thinning must be done 20–25 days after sowing:

Maintain 8–10 cm spacing

Essential for round, large roots


Poor thinning → small roots, uneven size.


13. HARVESTING TIMELINE


Beetroot matures in:

55–80 days (depending on climate)


Signs of maturity:

Root diameter: 5–7 cm

Deep red color

Leaves partially yellow


Harvest carefully to avoid bruising.


14. YIELD PER ACRE


Average Yield

10–12 tons per acre

Good Management

14–16 tons

Best Record

18+ tons per acre

15. GLOBAL MARKET PRICE (USD)

Region Price per kg

USA $0.50 – $1.20
Europe $0.70 – $1.50
Middle East $0.40 – $0.80
Asia $0.20 – $0.50
Africa $0.15 – $0.35


Processing Grade

$1.0 – $2.5 per kg


16. PROFIT PER ACRE (USD)


Revenue Example

14,000 kg × $0.40 = $5,600

Cost per Acre

$1,000 – $1,800

Net Profit

$4,000 – $8,000 per acre

Processing beetroot can raise profit 2–4×.


17. EXPORT MARKET OPPORTUNITY


Top importers:

UAE

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Sri Lanka

Malaysia

Singapore

Maldives


Export Documents

Phytosanitary certificate

Invoice

Certificate of origin

IEC code


18. VALUE ADDITION BUSINESS (HIGH PROFIT)


Beetroot juice

Beetroot concentrate

Beetroot powder

Frozen beetroot

Roasted beetroot snacks

Dehydrated beetroot flakes


Value-added products yield 3–5× profit.


19. STORAGE & POST-HARVEST HANDLING

Storage Conditions

Temperature: 0–4°C

Humidity: 90–95%

Ventilated crates


Shelf Life

4–8 weeks


20. CONCLUSION

Beetroot is one of the fastest-maturing, most profitable and least risky one-acre crops. Its strong global demand, low production cost, suitability for juice and processing industries, and stable export markets make it ideal for youth farmers and commercial agripreneurs. With proper irrigation, fertilization, thinning and disease management, beetroot farming consistently delivers 10–16 tons yield and $4,000–$8,000 net profit per acre.

21. FAQ

1. What is the seed rate per acre?

2–3 kg hybrid seeds.

2. Beetroot grows in how many days?

55–80 days.

3. How much yield per acre?

10–16 tons.

4. Best irrigation for beetroot?

Drip irrigation.

5. What is the global price?

$0.20–$1.50 per kg.

6. What causes cracked beetroot roots?

Low moisture and boron deficiency.

7. Best beetroot hybrid?

Pablo F1, Detroit Red, Red Ace.

8. How to increase beetroot size?

Thinning, potassium, boron and regular irrigation.

9. Which countries import beetroot?

UAE, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Singapore.

10. Profit per acre?

$4,000–$8,000.

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