Rabi sowing rises to 61.4 million hectares; pulses, oilseeds gain, wheat remains flat

New Delhi: The total area sown to all rabi crops reached 61.4 million hectares as of December 26 in the 2024-25 rabi season, up from 60.74 million hectares a year ago, said latest data from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Area under pulses and oilseeds rose marginally in the ongoing 2024-25 rabi season from a year earlier. Pulses sown in 13.34 million hectares so far, nearing the total area of 13.40 million hectares achieved in the entire rabi season last year.

While area sown to chickpea, lentil and green gram surpassed last year's total coverage, black gram sowing lagged behind.

Coarse cereals area stood at 4.90 million hectares so far this season, with maize and jowar planted in 2.09 million hectares and 2.03 million hectares, respectively.

Area under oilseeds surpassed last year, reaching 9.42 million hectares so far, with rapeseed-mustard sown in 8.78 million hectares.

Wheat, the main rabi or winter crop, sowing remained flat at 32.26 million hectares. Last year 32.24 million hectares were sown. The total wheat area stood at 32.8 million hectares in the 2023-24 rabi season.

Sowing of wheat and other rabi crops begins in October, with harvesting starting in March. Planting of wheat and other major rabi crops is nearly complete.

Rice sowing rose marginally to 1.49 million hectares as of December 26 in the 2025-26 rabi season from 1.30 million hectares in the year-ago period, the data showed.

Rice covered 4.47 million hectares in the previous rabi season.