India’s Kharif planting nears last year’s level but key crop areas fall

Agriculture ministry data show that Kharif sowing reached 109.6 million hectares as of 11 September, roughly 1.6 million hectares below the same period last year and near the ministry’s normal benchmark of 110.4 million hectares. Although the total area is close to previous levels, rice acreage fell by 1.7 million hectares and other staple crops such as maize, oilseeds, sugarcane and cotton also lagged, impacting food, edible-oil and fibre supplies.

Pulse cultivation expanded by 167,000 hectares to 11.8 million, driven by gains in several states. Oilseed area slipped slightly, with losses in soybean and groundnut offset by modest increases in sesame and sunflower. Cotton and sugarcane areas declined marginally, reflecting reductions in Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh that outweighed gains elsewhere.

The monsoon has been 15% below normal, with significant regional variations that could affect crops at crucial growth stages, and forecasts predict limited rain in peninsular India while central and eastern regions may receive some showers. Uday Raj Anand of Parijat Industries noted that regional rainfall patterns, soil moisture, crop economics and local agro-climatic conditions are shaping farmers’ sowing choices.