Crop Report
India kharif sowing down 6% on yr as of Friday; shortfall narrows
This story was originally published at 19:16 IST on 20 July 2026
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--India kharif acreage 65.82 mln ha so far vs 70.05 mln ha year ago
--India kharif paddy acreage 16.6 mln ha so far vs 16.8 mln ha year ago
--India kharif pulses acreage 6.92 mln ha so far vs 8.15 mln ha year ago
--India kharif urad acreage 1.35 mln ha so far vs 1.44 mln ha year ago
--India kharif tur acreage 2.5 mln ha so far vs 3.0 mln ha year ago
--India kharif moong acreage 2.4 mln ha so far vs 2.7 mln ha year ago
--India kharif oilseeds acreage 14.7 mln ha so far vs 15.6 mln ha year ago
--India kharif groundnut acreage 3.45 mln ha so far vs 3.80 mln ha year ago
--India kharif soybean acreage 10.6 mln ha so far vs 11.1 mln ha year ago
--India kharif coarse cereals acreage 11.9 mln ha so far vs 13.4 mln ha
--India kharif maize acreage 6.8 mln ha so far vs 7.2 mln ha year ago
--India kharif cotton acreage 9.3 mln ha so far vs 9.8 mln ha year ago
--India kharif sugarcane acreage 5.76 mln ha so far vs 5.67 mln ha yr ago
MUMBAI – The area under kharif crop cultivation continued to remain below the year-ago level, but the shortfall has narrowed to single digits for most crops. As of Friday, farmers across the country had sown over 65.82 million hectares, down 6% from a year earlier, according to data from the agriculture ministry. As of Jul. 10, the sown area was 53.13 million hectares, 16% lower than a year earlier.
The acreage under most crops has been affected by the delayed onset of the monsoon and deficient rainfall across much of the country. The area under paddy, the largest kharif crop, was down just 1% on year at 16.64 million hectares as of Friday, compared with a decline of 8.6% a week earlier.
Pulses acreage as of Friday was down over 15% on year at 6.92 million hectares, with tur area down nearly 18%, moong down nearly 11%, and urad down 6%
The area sown under oilseeds was 5.5% lower on year at 14.7 million hectares, as groundnut fell 8.5% and soybean declined 4.5% on year. Though sunflower acreage rose 66% on year to 88,000 hectares amid an attractive minimum support price, it did not offset the decline in acreage of other major oilseeds.
The southwest monsoon has remained deficient in most parts of the country. As of Jul. 19, the cumulative rainfall over the country was 24?low normal at 253.2 millimetres.
Among cash crops, sugarcane and jute acreage continued to register a marginal rise from the year-ago levels, while cotton cultivation remained below the year-ago levels. The area under sugarcane as of Friday was up 1.6% on year at 5.76 million hectares, but the area under cotton fell 6% on year to 9.25 million hectares, the data showed. More
The following table details the sowing of key kharif crops as of Friday, in million hectares, compared with year-ago levels and the year-on-year change in percentage terms:
|
Crop |
Acreage 2026 (mln ha) |
Acreage 2025 (mln ha) |
Change (%) |
|
Paddy |
16.64 | 16.78 | -0.8 |
|
Tur |
2.48 | 3.02 | -17.8 |
|
Urad |
1.35 | 1.44 | -6.25 |
|
Moong |
2.39 | 2.69 | -11.2 |
|
Total Pulses* |
6.92 | 8.15 | -15.1 |
|
Maize |
6.79 | 7.15 | -5.0 |
|
Total Coarse Cereals* |
11.9 | 13.41 | -11.3 |
|
Groundnut |
3.45 | 3.77 | -8.5 |
|
Soybean |
10.6 | 11.1 | -4.5 |
|
Total Oilseeds* |
14.71 | 15.57 | -5.5 |
|
Sugarcane |
5.76 | 5.67 | 1.6 |
|
Jute |
0.63 | 0.62 | 1.6 |
|
Cotton |
9.25 | 9.84 | -5.9 |
|
Grand Total* |
65.82 | 70.05 | -6.04 |
* The total figures will not tally due to the omission of some smaller crops
Reported by Afra Abubacker
Edited by Saji George Titus
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