Rice Leads the Growth
Rice sowing has made a strong start this season. As of now, 35.02 lakh hectares have been sown, a sharp increase from 23.78 lakh hectares last year. This rise of 11.24 lakh hectares reflects better early monsoon coverage in major rice-growing regions.
Pulses have covered 21.09 lakh hectares so far, up by 5.73 lakh hectares over last year. Notable gains include:
- Moong bean: +4.28 lakh ha
- Urd bean: +0.93 lakh ha
- Moth bean: +0.55 lakh ha
However, Arhar saw a slight dip of 0.32 lakh hectares, while Ragi and small millets also registered marginal declines.
Shri Anna (Millets) and Maize Expand
India’s focus on Shri Anna and coarse cereals continues to yield results. The sowing reached 41.75 lakh hectares, up by 6.74 lakh hectares. Bajra and Maize contributed significantly, adding 4.36 and 2.34 lakh hectares, respectively.
Oilseeds Register Impressive Jump
Oilseed sowing reached 48.99 lakh hectares, registering a rise of 8.17 lakh hectares from 2024. The breakdown includes:
- Groundnut: +7.65 lakh ha
- Soybean: +0.26 lakh ha
- Sesamum & Sunflower: modest gains
Castor saw a minor decrease of 0.02 lakh hectares, and Niger remained negligible in terms of area covered.
Sugarcane Steady, Cotton Faces Dip
Sugarcane sowing continued its stable trend with 55.16 lakh hectares, slightly ahead of last year. Cotton, however, saw a decline of 5.31 lakh hectares, possibly due to delayed rains in some regions.
Mixed Results in Jute & Mesta
Jute & Mesta sowing decreased slightly to 5.47 lakh hectares from 5.62 lakh hectares in 2024, down by 0.15 lakh hectares. The fibre crop’s sowing window typically closes early, hence any lag at this stage may be final.
Total Sowing: Upbeat Start to Kharif 2025
Overall, the sowing figures suggest a positive agricultural sentiment for the 2025 Kharif season. With the southwest monsoon progressing normally and more rains expected in July, area coverage is likely to grow further.
For a detailed view of rainfall patterns and crop planning, visit the Ministry of Agriculture’s dashboard.