Cotton Sowing Gains Momentum: All-India Area Rises 7% Ahead of 2025-26 Season
Cotton sowing for the upcoming 2025-26 season has shown a positive trend across several states, with total sowing across India reaching 31.25 lakh hectares, a 7.3% increase compared to 29.12 lakh hectares recorded during the same period last year.
State-wise Performance:
Rajasthan has witnessed a robust increase, with cotton sowing covering 550.29 thousand hectares, up from 444.79 thousand hectares last year — a significant 23.7% jump.
Gujarat, another key cotton-growing state, reported a rise in coverage, with 7.58 lakh hectares (757,842 ha) sown so far compared to 5.80 lakh hectares (580,128 ha) last year — marking a 30.6% surge.
Maharashtra has also registered a moderate increase. Sowing has reached 11.53 lakh hectares (1,153,486 ha), up from 11.30 lakh hectares (1,129,892 ha), a 2.1% rise.
However, not all states have seen a positive trend:
Karnataka reported a decline, with sowing dropping to 3.36 lakh hectares compared to 5.19 lakh hectares in the previous year — a sharp 35.3% fall.
Telangana has also seen reduced sowing activity, with the area under cotton falling to 22.84 lakh hectares (2,284,474 ha) from 26.42 lakh hectares (2,641,595 ha) — a 13.5% decrease.
Outlook: Experts attribute the increase in sowing in Rajasthan and Gujarat to favorable early monsoon conditions and improved market sentiment. On the other hand, delayed rains and shifting crop preferences may have impacted sowing in Karnataka and Telangana.
The Ministry of Agriculture is monitoring sowing trends closely as monsoon patterns evolve. The overall positive start indicates a potentially strong kharif season for cotton if favorable weather persists in the coming weeks.
