Kharif Crop Sowing Declines 16% Amid Weak Monsoon, Paddy and Pulses Acreage Drop The Agriculture Ministry reported that the area sown to kharif crops in the current season remains 16% lower than the same period last year, primarily due to a weak monsoon linked to the El Nino effect. As of July 10, the total area under kharif crops stood at 531.25 lakh hectares, compared to 632.69 lakh hectares in the corresponding period of 2025. This decline is attributed to delayed sowing, which began later than usual because of insufficient rainfall. Paddy, a major kharif crop, saw a 8.63% reduction in acreage, with coverage at 114.69 lakh hectares against 125.53 lakh hectares a year earlier. Pulses, another critical category, experienced a sharper decline, with their area falling 23.31% to 56.63 lakh hectares from 73.85 lakh hectares. Among pulses, arhar (tur) acreage dropped to 19.54 lakh hectares from 28.03 lakh hectares, urad (split pigeonpea) coverage fell to 9.34 lakh hectares (down from 13.29 lakh hectares), and moong (green gram) area declined to 21.52 lakh hectares (from 24.08 lakh hectares). Coarse cereals, which include crops like maize and sorghum, also saw a 22.47% decrease in sown area, reaching 98.69 lakh hectares from 127.30 lakh hectares. Oilseeds, a vital component of the agricultural sector, declined by 21% to 117.83 lakh hectares, with soybean acreage falling 16% to 90.51 lakh hectares. Other crops showed mixed trends, with sugarcane area rising marginally to 57.58 lakh hectares from 56.72 lakh hectares, and jute/mesta coverage increasing slightly to 6.28 lakh hectares from 6.16 lakh hectares. Cotton, a key cash crop, continued to lag, with sowing down 15.33% to 79.54 lakh hectares from 93.95 lakh hectares in the previous year.#el_nino #agriculture_ministry #kharif_crops #paddy #pulses
