Sharp decline in Kharif crop acreage continues

13-Jul-2026 08:02 PM

New Delhi. While good monsoon rains across various states during the first ten days of July improved the sowing situation for Kharif crops, the total acreage still lags significantly behind last year's figures. Latest data from the Union Ministry of Agriculture reveals that the total area under Kharif crops reached only 531.25 lakh hectares by July 10 this year. This is 101.44 lakh hectares (or 16.03%) less than the 632.69 lakh hectares sown during the same period last year and is well below 50% of the normal average area of ​​1104.45 lakh hectares.

Acreage across all crop categories is trailing, with the exception of sugarcane; its sown area has increased by 86,000 hectares—rising from 56.72 lakh hectares last year to 57.58 lakh hectares this year. The area under sugarcane has remained stable at this level for the past two to three weeks, indicating that the sowing drive has largely concluded.

According to official data, compared to the previous year, the area under paddy dropped from 125.53 lakh hectares to 114.69 lakh hectares by July 10 of the current Kharif season. Similarly, the sown area for pulses fell from 73.65 lakh hectares to 56.63 lakh hectares, coarse cereals from 127.30 lakh hectares to 98.69 lakh hectares, and oilseeds from 149.18 lakh hectares to 117.83 lakh hectares. Cotton acreage also declined from 93.95 lakh hectares to 79.54 lakh hectares. Sowing operations for Kharif crops are still underway.

Among pulse crops, there has been a significant decline in the sown area for Arhar (Tur), Urad, Moong, and Moth. Similarly, within the category of coarse cereals, the acreage for sorghum, pearl millet, maize, and ragi is lagging significantly behind last year's figures. Furthermore, in the oilseeds category, there has been a sharp decline in the cultivation area for soybean and sesame, whereas the acreage for groundnut and sunflower has increased; specifically, the area under groundnut has doubled.