Kharif sowing 2025 reaches 829.64 lakh hectares; rice rises by 29 lakh hectares, oilseeds and cotton decline
By yash chouhan 2025-07-29 13:11:37
Kharif sowing 2025: Area increased, rice increased, oilseeds-cotton decreased
Kharif sowing has increased by 31.73 lakh hectares over last year, with rice and pulses registering the highest increase. However, despite overall positive trends, oilseeds and cotton acreage have seen a decline.
Kharif sowing for the 2025-26 season in India has made promising progress, with total acreage under cultivation increasing significantly over the same period last year. According to the latest data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the total acreage under Kharif crops as on July 25, 2025 was 829.64 lakh hectares, an increase of 31.73 lakh hectares over last year.
Among all crops, rice has recorded the highest increase. Rice area has reached 245.13 lakh hectares, about 29 lakh hectares more than in 2024-25. This significant increase reflects favourable monsoon conditions and timely sowing in major rice producing states.
Pulses have also seen a marginal increase in area, with the total area increasing to 93.05 lakh hectares from 89.94 lakh hectares last year. This increase is mainly due to increased sowing of moong and moth, although sowing of traditional pulses like tur and urad has recorded a marginal decline.
Coarse cereals have also seen positive growth, with the total area reaching 160.72 lakh hectares, 5.75 lakh hectares more than last year. Maize has contributed significantly to this increase, registering an increase of 6.66 lakh hectares. This trend may indicate a change in farmers' preferences due to better market prospects and adaptability to changing weather conditions.
In contrast, oilseed acreage declined to 166.89 lakh hectares, down by 3.83 lakh hectares from the previous year. The biggest decline was recorded in soybean, the major oilseed crop, with acreage falling by about 4.7 lakh hectares.
Sugarcane acreage remained relatively stable with a marginal increase, while jute and mesta acreage witnessed marginal decline. Cotton sowing also declined by 2.37 lakh hectares from the previous season.
Despite some crop-specific constraints, the overall trend of kharif sowing is positive, indicating improvement in agricultural activity. Although total acreage remains lower than the five-year average of 1,096.65 lakh hectares, the year-on-year improvement raises hopes of a promising crop season.
