Oilseed Crop Area 5.26 Lakh Hectares Below Last Year

26-Aug-2025 06:32 PM

New Delhi. Due to less sowing of all the three major crops- soybean, groundnut and sesame, the total production area of ​​oilseed crops during Kharif season has come down to 182.38 lakh hectares till 22nd August this time which is 5.26 lakh hectares less than the sowing area of ​​187.64 lakh hectares during the same period last year and 12.25 lakh hectares less than the five-year average area of ​​194.63 lakh hectares.

According to the latest weekly data of the Union Agriculture Ministry, during the current Kharif season, compared to last year, soybean production area at the national level has dropped by 4.77 lakh hectares from 124.88 lakh hectares to 120.11 lakh hectares,

groundnut sowing area has dropped by 1.26 lakh hectares from 46.56 lakh hectares to 45.30 lakh hectares and sesame area has dropped from 10.46 lakh hectares to 63 thousand hectares. Sowing of soybean in Rajasthan lagged behind last year.

The same situation prevailed for groundnut and sesame as well. In the initial phase, groundnut sowing was going on well but later it lagged behind.

Both the top producing states - Gujarat and Rajasthan - are facing severe floods while the Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rains there for the next three-four days.

Due to this, there is a possibility of heavy damage to the crops there. Sesame crop is also under serious threat. However, compared to last year, this time the production area of ​​castor has increased by 4.68 lakh hectares to 6.09 lakh hectares and the area of ​​niger seed has improved from 31 thousand hectares to 36 thousand hectares,

but the sowing area of ​​sunflower has come down from 69 thousand hectares to 63 thousand hectares. Castor is mainly an industrial oilseed crop, whereas niger seed and sunflower are cultivated in a limited area.