Kharif Crop Acreage in Maharashtra Drops by Over 6 Lakh Hectares

26-Aug-2026 11:45 AM

Mumbai: Sowing of Kharif crops in parts of Maharashtra is lagging slightly due to insufficient monsoon rainfall. The weather in September could play a decisive role in Kharif crop production. The sowing campaign for Kharif crops in the state has reached its final stage.

According to the latest weekly report from the State Agriculture Department, the total area under Kharif crops in Maharashtra reached 138.30 lakh hectares by August 24 this year; this is 6.35 lakh hectares less than the 144.65 lakh hectares recorded during the same period last year. During the period under review, the combined area for paddy and coarse cereals in the state fell from 34.22 lakh hectares to 30.86 lakh hectares; the area under pulses dropped from 18.69 lakh hectares to 16.06 lakh hectares; the area for oilseeds declined from 51.03 lakh hectares to 50.74 lakh hectares; and the cotton acreage slipped from 38.44 lakh hectares to 38.31 lakh hectares.

Within the cereal crop category, the area under paddy in Maharashtra decreased from 14.80 lakh hectares to 13.66 lakh hectares; the area for *Jowar* (sorghum) slipped from 84,000 hectares to 65,000 hectares; the area for *Bajra* (pearl millet) fell from 3.26 lakh hectares to 2.79 lakh hectares; and the area for maize dropped from 14.44 lakh hectares to 12.90 lakh hectares.

Among pulse crops, the area under *Tur* (pigeon pea) decreased from 12.16 lakh hectares to 11.95 lakh hectares; the area for *Moong* (green gram) fell from 2.09 lakh hectares to 1.46 lakh hectares; and the area for *Urad* (black gram) dropped from 3.75 lakh hectares to 1.97 lakh hectares. The acreage for other pulses remained largely unchanged. Among oilseed crops, the area under soybean cultivation declined from 49.55 lakh hectares to 49.13 lakh hectares, whereas the groundnut acreage increased from 1.35 lakh hectares to 1.40 lakh hectares. Sunflower sowing has also increased.