Kharif sowing has gained strong momentum across the country. According to the latest data released by the Union Agriculture Ministry, the total sown area as of June 27 has reached 262.15 lakh hectares, registering a significant increase of 26.71 lakh hectares compared to the same period last year.
The early and widespread onset of the southwest monsoon, which covered the entire country by June 29, nine days ahead of schedule, has provided farmers with favorable conditions for timely sowing in major agricultural belts. Key crops such as rice, pulses, oilseeds, and coarse cereals have shown substantial growth in acreage.
Rice, India’s staple food grain, has been sown across 35.02 lakh hectares, up from 23.78 lakh hectares during the same period last year, an impressive rise of over 11 lakh hectares.
Pulses have also witnessed a significant expansion, covering 21.09 lakh hectares as compared to 15.37 lakh hectares last year. Within pulses, moong and urd beans have reported the highest growth, indicating a preference among farmers for short-duration and high-demand varieties.
Oilseeds, particularly soybean and groundnut, have seen a sharp increase in coverage. The total sown area now stands at 48.99 lakh hectares, up from 40.82 lakh hectares in 2024, an increase of over 8 lakh hectares. This surge is expected to improve domestic edible oil availability and reduce import dependency.
The area under coarse cereals, including bajra, maize, and ragi, has also expanded to 41.75 lakh hectares, up from 35.01 lakh hectares last year.
However, cotton sowing has declined to 54.66 lakh hectares, compared to 59.97 lakh hectares in the same period last year, possibly due to delayed rains in some regions or fluctuating market conditions.
Meanwhile, sugarcane coverage remains steady, with a marginal increase to 55.16 lakh hectares this year.
Overall, Kharif sowing is progressing well and is expected to maintain its pace as the monsoon, now fully active across the country, continues to bring widespread and timely rainfall, particularly benefiting central and northern India in the coming weeks.
