Gujarat’s Kharif Crop Acreage Trails by 2.48 Lakh Hectares

25-Aug-2026 01:28 PM

Gandhinagar: Although sowing of kharif crops has progressed well in Gujarat in recent weeks, the state’s total cultivated area had reached only 78.55 lakh hectares as of August 24, 2026. This is 2.48 lakh hectares lower than the 81.03 lakh hectares covered during the corresponding period last year.

According to the latest weekly report of the State Agriculture Department, during the period under review, the combined area under paddy and coarse cereals declined from 13.57 lakh hectares to 13.34 lakh hectares. The area under pulses fell from 4.14 lakh hectares to 4.01 lakh hectares, while the area under oilseeds decreased from 30.46 lakh hectares to 28.57 lakh hectares. The area under guar seed also dropped from 72,000 hectares to 48,000 hectares. In contrast, the area under cotton increased from 20.72 lakh hectares to 21.41 lakh hectares.

During the same period, the area under paddy declined from 8.92 lakh hectares to 8.80 lakh hectares, while bajra acreage fell from 1.72 lakh hectares to 1.60 lakh hectares and maize acreage slipped from 2.76 lakh hectares to 2.72 lakh hectares. The area under jowar, however, increased from 8,000 hectares to 14,000 hectares.

Among pulse crops, the area under pigeon pea (tur/arhar) remained almost unchanged at around 2.71 lakh hectares compared with last year. Urad acreage increased from 78,000 hectares to 90,000 hectares, while the area under moong declined from 48,000 hectares to 30,000 hectares.

Similarly, among oilseed crops, the area under soybean increased from 2.77 lakh hectares to 3.03 lakh hectares. However, groundnut acreage declined from 21.89 lakh hectares to 20.64 lakh hectares, sesame acreage fell from 40,000 hectares to 17,000 hectares, and castor acreage decreased from 5.39 lakh hectares to 4.72 lakh hectares.

Gujarat is the country’s leading producer of groundnut, cotton and castor.