Kharif Sowing Gains Pace; Paddy and Coarse Cereals Lead
By yash chouhan 2026-06-23 11:48:27
Kharif Sowing Picks Up Pace; Paddy and Coarse Cereals Lead; Decline in Oilseeds and Cotton
New Delhi: According to the Central Government, the total sowing area for the current Kharif season reached 119.90 lakh hectares by June 19, up from 117.95 lakh hectares during the same period last year.
Latest data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare indicates a significant increase in the sowing of several key crops.
The sharpest rise was observed in paddy cultivation. The area under paddy increased from 8.09 lakh hectares last year to 12.36 lakh hectares—an increase of 4.27 lakh hectares.
Sowing of pulses, particularly Urad (black gram) and Moong (green gram), also showed improvement; their total area rose from 6.39 lakh hectares to 7.21 lakh hectares.
Similarly, a rapid increase was recorded in the sowing of coarse cereals (such as Jowar, Bajra, and Ragi). The area under these crops expanded from 9.82 lakh hectares last year to 12.43 lakh hectares.
Sugarcane sowing also saw a marginal increase, with the area rising from 56.64 lakh hectares to 57.31 lakh hectares.
However, the sowing of oilseed crops has remained relatively sluggish so far. By June 19, the total area under oilseeds was recorded at 7.24 lakh hectares, compared to 8.11 lakh hectares during the same period last year. Among oilseeds, soybean witnessed the steepest decline, with the sown area dropping from 2.50 lakh hectares to 1.30 lakh hectares.
Meanwhile, a significant reduction was also noted in cotton sowing. The area under cotton fell from 22.82 lakh hectares last year to 17.13 lakh hectares—a decrease of 5.69 lakh hectares. These mixed trends in Kharif sowing have emerged at a time when the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has recently approved an increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for 14 Kharif crops for the 2026-27 marketing year.
