Kharif Crop Acreage in Rajasthan Reaches 145.03 Lakh Hectares

05-Aug-2026 04:19 PM

Jaipur: Good monsoon rainfall in the western state of Rajasthan recently has led to significant progress in Kharif crop sowing. By August 4, 2026, the total cultivated area had reached 145.03 lakh hectares—just 1.66 lakh hectares less than the 146.69 lakh hectares sown during the same period last year.

According to the latest data from the State Agriculture Department, the combined cultivation area for paddy and coarse cereals in Rajasthan rose from 56.37 lakh hectares last year to 58.75 lakh hectares during the current Kharif season. Within this category, while the area under paddy cultivation dipped from 3.41 lakh hectares to 3.24 lakh hectares, the sown area for pearl millet (bajra) improved from 39.09 lakh hectares to 39.52 lakh hectares; the area for sorghum (jowar) surged from 4.98 lakh hectares to 6.31 lakh hectares; and the acreage for maize increased from 8.88 lakh hectares to 9.67 lakh hectares.

The cultivation area for pulses also improved, rising from 35.54 lakh hectares last year to 35.95 lakh hectares this season. Within this group, the sown area for moong (green gram) decreased from 23.24 lakh hectares to 22.69 lakh hectares, and the area for cowpea (chola) slipped from 58,000 hectares to 56,000 hectares; however, the area for moth bean improved from 8.59 lakh hectares to 8.72 lakh hectares, and the acreage for urad (black gram) increased from 3.12 lakh hectares to 3.94 lakh hectares. Cultivation of tur (pigeon pea) was limited to a small area.

Similarly, the cultivation area for oilseeds increased from 21.51 lakh hectares last year to 22.49 lakh hectares this season. Under this trend, the area under sesame improved from 1.44 lakh hectares to 1.65 lakh hectares, the groundnut sowing area surged from 9.68 lakh hectares to 10.86 lakh hectares, and the castor area increased from 63,000 hectares to 72,000 hectares; however, the area under soybean cultivation fell from 9.77 lakh hectares to 9.26 lakh hectares. It had previously witnessed a sharp decline.

The most significant decline is being observed in the sowing of cotton and guar. Compared to the previous year, the area under cotton cultivation in Rajasthan dropped from 6.29 lakh hectares to 5.34 lakh hectares during the current Kharif season, while the area under guar fell from 23.45 lakh hectares to 18.81 lakh hectares. Crop sowing is still underway in the state.