Kharif sowing up 2% so far; oil seeds lag behind compared to last year

New Delhi: Due to widespread monsoon rain, the total area sown to paddy rose marginally by 2 per cent to 438.51 lakh hectares so far in the ongoing 2025-26 kharif (summer) season.

Paddy, the main kharif crop, was sown in about 430.06 lakh hectare in the year-ago period. The sowing began with the onset of southwest monsoon in June.

According to the Union Ministry of Agriculture, total area under all kharif crops was marginally up at 1,110.80 lakh hectare so far this kharif season as against 1,095.88 lakh hectare in the year-ago period.

The country has received 836.2 mm of rainfall in the monsoon season so far against a normal of 778.6 mm; a surplus of 7 per cent.

Pulses acreage grew slightly to 118.06 lakh hectare, as against 117.25 lakh hectare in the year-ago period. However, tur and moong acreage was lagging behind.

However, sowing of oil seed was less. The total area oil seed sown was 188.81 lakh hectare kharif season as against 193.93 lakh hectare in the year-ago period. Soybean and sesame acreage remained lower so far in the ongoing kharif season.

However, area sown to coarse cereals rose marginally to 192.91 lakh hectare so far this year, from 180.75 lakh hectare in the year-ago period.

Among cash crops, sugarcane acreage was slightly higher at 57.31 lakh hectare from 55.68 lakh hectare in the previous year. Cotton area remained lower at 109.64 lakh hectare from 112.48 lakh hectare in the past year.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), southwest monsoon is likely to start withdrawing from northwest India around September 15.

The primary rain-bearing system usually makes its onset over Kerala by June 1 and covers the entire country by July 8. It starts retreating from northwest India around September 17 and withdraws completely by October 15.

This year, the monsoon covered the entire country nine days before the usual date of July 8. This was the earliest the monsoon has covered the entire country since 2020 when it did so by June 26.