Kharif Sowing Falls 3.9% Amidst Rainfall Shortfall; Rice Rally Counters Steep Cotton Decline

Kharif Sowing Falls 3.9% Amidst Rainfall Shortfall; Rice Rally Counters Steep Cotton Decline​

As agriculturalists track early season progress, the overall picture of Kharif sowing shows a marked contraction in key crops. Data from the agriculture ministry reveals that as of June 12, farmers had covered 84.6 lakh hectares. This figure is slightly down compared to the 88.04 lakh hectares recorded during the same period last year, reflecting an aggregate decline of 3.9 percent.

Cotton and Pulses Face Steep Sowing Declines​

The slowdown in overall sowing is heavily influenced by major cash crops that have seen significant setbacks. Cotton acreage registered the steepest decline among key commodities. The area under cotton dropped to 9.53 lakh hectares from a previous figure of 13.19 lakh hectares, marking a fall of 27.8 percent or 3.66 lakh hectares.

Pulses production is also highly vulnerable and saw a marginal reduction in sowing. The area dedicated to pulses declined to 1.55 lakh hectares from 2.73 lakh hectares last year, representing a decline of 1.18 lakh hectares or approximately 43 percent. Specifically within this category, moong acreage fell sharply to 0.69 lakh hectares from 1.54 lakh hectares, while arhar and urad also registered lower sowing levels.

Rice and Coarse Cereals Drive Positive Trends​

In contrast to the declines in cotton and pulses, rice cultivation saw a noticeable uptick in area under saturation. Paddy acreage rose to 4.98 lakh hectares from 3.88 lakh hectares last year, an increase of 1.09 lakh hectares or approximately 28 percent. This positive trend is partly attributed to early monsoon onset observed in certain regions.

The improvement was not confined to rice, as coarse cereals also saw a slight rise. The acreage for these crops increased to 4.77 lakh hectares from 4.32 lakh hectares last year. Notably, Bajra led the increase, with its area expanding substantially to 1.15 lakh hectares from only 0.24 lakh hectares previously.

Oilseeds and Sugarcane Status Remain Stable or Slightly Variable​

Oilseed sowing remained broadly stable at 3.51 lakh hectares compared to 3.54 lakh hectares a year ago. While groundnut acreage saw an increase, the sowing of soybean and sunflower both registered declines.

Sugarcane sowing was marginally lower than last season, registering 54.08 lakh hectares against the previous total of 54.29 lakh hectares. Jute and mesta, however, managed a slight uplift in planting area, increasing to 6.18 lakh hectares from 6.09 lakh hectares.

Rainfall Deficit Raises Concerns for Crop Vulnerability​

The overall agricultural outlook remains tempered by climatic concerns. India’s rainfall, when measured against the long run average data (based on 50 years), registered a deficit of 35 percent. This significant moisture deficit underscores the patchy progress seen across different crops during this early kharif period.

Production vulnerability is high for pulses. Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh combined account for 81.8 percent of total pulses output, yet only Madhya Pradesh has irrigation coverage above the national average. The trends observed suggest that the future pace of sowing will depend heavily on the spatial distribution of monsoon rainfall across crucial agricultural states.