Agricultural Production Increases with Summer Season

India Summer Crop Sowing Reaches 36.22 Lakh Hectares as Season Gains Momentum​

Sowing Progress Aligns with Recent Expansion Trends​

New Delhi, March 17: India’s total area under summer crops has reached 36.22 lakh hectares as of March 13, indicating steady progress in the ongoing sowing season, according to data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

The current sowing pace is being closely compared with historical benchmarks. The normal summer cropped area, based on the average from 2022-23 to 2024-25, stands at 75.37 lakh hectares. In contrast, the final coverage recorded in 2025 was significantly higher at 83.92 lakh hectares, suggesting that the present trend is broadly in line with the recent expansion seen in summer cultivation.

Rice Continues to Lead Summer Crop Coverage​

Rice remains the dominant crop during the summer season, accounting for the largest share of sown area so far. As per the latest data:

• Rice has been sown across 26.75 lakh hectares
• Pulses, including moong and urad, cover 2.25 lakh hectares
• Coarse cereals such as jowar, bajra, ragi, and maize account for 4.14 lakh hectares
• Oilseeds, led by groundnut, have crossed 3 lakh hectares

These figures highlight the continued preference for rice cultivation, alongside a balanced spread across pulses, cereals, and oilseeds.

Key States Driving Summer Crop Cultivation​

Summer crop sowing is concentrated in several major agricultural states. The leading contributors include West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Odisha, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh, where climatic conditions and irrigation availability support seasonal cultivation between March and June.

Summer Season’s Role in India’s Crop Cycle​

The summer cropping window falls between the rabi and kharif seasons and plays a critical role in enhancing annual agricultural output. The ongoing sowing activity is expected to contribute to overall foodgrain production, complementing strong estimates from the previous seasons.

Kharif and Rabi Output Estimates Show Growth​

According to the Agriculture Ministry’s second advance estimates released last week:

• Kharif foodgrain production for 2025-26 is estimated at 1,741.44 lakh metric tonnes, up by 46 lakh metric tonnes or 2.8 per cent from 1,694.60 lakh metric tonnes last year
• Rabi foodgrain production is estimated at 1,745.13 lakh metric tonnes, higher by 53 lakh metric tonnes or 3.2 per cent compared to 1,691.66 lakh metric tonnes

Crop-Wise Production Trends​

• Kharif rice production is estimated at 1,239.28 lakh metric tonnes, rising by 11.56 lakh metric tonnes from 1,227.72 lakh metric tonnes in 2024-25
• Rabi rice production is pegged at 167.20 lakh metric tonnes
• Wheat production is estimated at 1,202.10 lakh metric tonnes, an increase of 22.65 lakh metric tonnes over the previous year’s 1,179.45 lakh metric tonnes

Summer Crop Data to Be Included in Next Estimates​

While the second advance estimates cover kharif and rabi seasons, the contribution of the summer crop will be incorporated in the third advance estimates, providing a more comprehensive picture of India’s total agricultural output for the year.