Which season and climate suits chia seed cultivation in India?

Chia is a short duration crop, usually about 100 to 120 days, and it is grown mostly as a rabi or winter crop in India because it needs cool dry weather during flowering and seed set. It has done reasonably in parts of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. It likes well drained soils, moderate temperatures, and dislikes heavy rain or waterlogging which causes rot and disease. Sowing is usually around October to November so that flowering and maturity fall in the cool dry months. Like quinoa, chia is a niche crop with no MSP, so treat it as a contract or buyer linked crop and trial it on a small plot first while confirming the right window with your local KVK.