Rabi crops sowing increases by 17%

New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Agriculture on Monday said that overall Rabi crop sowing coverage reaches 644.29 lakh hectare reflecting steady progress of the season.

This is 17.65 lakh hectare more compared to the same period last rabi season. The total area under coverage for all rabi crops stood at 626.64 lakh hectares last year.

The area under coverage for wheat rose 2 per cent to 334.17 lakh hectares till January 9 of the ongoing rabi (winter-sown) season.

Wheat acreage stood at 328.04 lakh hectares in the same period of the preceding rabi season. Sowing of wheat, a major rabi crop, generally starts from October.

Better monsoon rains and increase in the minimum support price (MSP) by the government have encouraged farmers to increase sowing area.

In an official statement on Monday, the Union agriculture ministry released the progress of area coverage under rabi crops as on January 9, 2026.

As per the data, the area under coverage of paddy grew to 21.71 lakh hectares from 19.49 lakh hectares.

Pulses sowing area rose to 136.36 lakh hectares from 132.61 lakh hectares, while the area under coverage for Shri Anna and coarse cereals increased to 55.20 lakh hectares from 53.17 lakh hectares.

The acreage of oilseeds rose to 96.86 lakh hectares from 93.33 lakh hectares.