By Andalib Akhter
India’s kharif crop sowing for the 2025 season has shown a modest but promising increase, according to data released by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare on June 13. As of this date, the total sown area under kharif crops has reached 89.29 lakh hectares, up by 1.48 lakh hectares from the 87.81 lakh hectares recorded during the same period in 2024.
The rise in sowing reflects both improved early monsoon conditions in several states and farmers’ optimism following stable market prices and government support schemes. The report provides a detailed crop-wise breakdown, offering insights into shifts in planting preferences and regional agronomic patterns.
Rice and Pulses Show Strong Growth
Rice, a key kharif crop, has shown encouraging growth. Sown area has increased to 4.53 lakh hectares, up from 4.00 lakh hectares last year—an improvement of 0.53 lakh hectares. Though still far below the normal average rice area of 403.09 lakh hectares (based on 2019-20 to 2023-24 data), this early-season rise indicates a healthy start to the planting cycle.
Pulses have also performed well, with total coverage reaching 3.07 lakh hectares, compared to 2.60 lakh hectares in 2024. This represents a 0.47 lakh hectare increase. Within the pulse category, urd bean and moong bean showed gains of 0.24 lakh hectares and 0.17 lakh hectares, respectively. However, arhar (tur dal) registered a minor decline of 0.11 lakh hectares, possibly due to shifting land use or market concerns.
Mixed Trends in Coarse Cereals and Oilseeds
The area under coarse cereals remained relatively stable at 5.89 lakh hectares, just below the 5.90 lakh hectares reported last year. A significant highlight was the surge in bajra (pearl millet) cultivation, which grew from 0.03 lakh hectares to 0.86 lakh hectares, marking a dramatic increase of 0.83 lakh hectares. However, this was offset by declines in maize (–0.68 lakh hectares) and ragi (–0.29 lakh hectares).
Oilseeds saw a substantial rise in acreage, growing to 2.05 lakh hectares, up from 1.50 lakh hectares last year. Soybean, the major contributor, accounted for an increase of 0.66 lakh hectares, indicating strong farmer interest. On the flip side, groundnut saw a marginal decrease of 0.13 lakh hectares.
Steady Sugarcane, Decline in Cotton and Jute
Sugarcane continues to be a robust segment, with sowing touching 55.07 lakh hectares, slightly higher than the 54.88 lakh hectares recorded in 2024. In contrast, cotton and jute & mesta experienced small declines of 0.09 lakh hectares and 0.17 lakh hectares, respectively.
Policy and Monitoring
The Ministry highlighted that the normal area under kharif crops, based on five-year averages, stands at 1096.64 lakh hectares, suggesting ample room for expansion as the monsoon progresses. The government is closely monitoring weather patterns and crop trends to ensure timely interventions and support mechanisms for farmers.
Overall, the early data signals steady progress in the 2025 kharif season, with positive trends in key crops such as rice, pulses, and soybean laying a solid foundation for food security and rural income growth.
