India's Kharif cropping season has seen a strong performance overall, with the total sown area exceeding the normal acreage for this time of year. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the total acreage of Kharif crops has reached 1,121.46 lakh hectares. This is 6.51 lakh hectares more than the previous year and 24.5 lakh hectares higher than the average of the past five years.

Several factors have contributed to this increase. Good monsoon conditions in many regions have supported healthy crop growth. The government's continued efforts to ensure food security through paddy cultivation, coupled with higher Minimum Support Prices (MSP), may have also encouraged farmers to expand rice cultivation.

Crop-wise Trends

• Paddy (Rice): Paddy has shown the most significant expansion, with the sown area reaching 441.58 lakh hectares, a 1.35% increase over last year. This increase underscores farmer confidence and timely monsoon support in major rice-growing states. Rice sowing is above the "normal" benchmark, reinforcing its dominance as the primary Kharif crop in India.
• Maize: Maize cultivation has also seen a remarkable rise, with farmers sowing maize over 93.34 lakh hectares compared to 83.58 lakh hectares in 2024, an increase of 9.76 lakh hectares (12%).
• Pulses: The acreage of pulses has increased marginally to 120.41 lakh hectares from 119.04 lakh hectares. Specifically, Urad (black gram) acreage has increased from 22.87 lakh hectares last year to 24.37 lakh hectares this season. However, area for major pulse crop Arhar (pigeon peas) fell by 1.8% on year at 43.98 lh.
• Sugarcane: Sugarcane sowing was slightly higher at 59.07 lakh hectares against 57.22 lakh hectares in the year-ago period.

Decline in Oilseeds

Despite the overall positive trend, the acreage of oilseeds has declined. The total sown area has fallen to 190.13 lakh hectares from 200.75 lakh hectares last year. Soybean acreage has dropped by 9.10 lakh hectares, reflecting challenges such as uneven rainfall and price fluctuations. The area under groundnut sowing is also down. This decline comes despite government efforts to promote self-reliance in edible oil production.

Other Crops

The acreage under cotton was down at 110.63 lakh hectares from 112.97 lakh hectares. The decline is significant because cotton is a key cash crop for farmers in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. Erratic monsoon patterns in cotton-growing belts, high input costs, pest challenges, and better returns from competing crops like maize and rice could be discouraging farmers.

Regional Impact

While excessive rainfall and floods have affected crops in some states/UTs, including Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and J&K, other regions have benefited from good rainfall, resulting in higher acreage and good crop growth.

Water Availability and Fertilizer Supply

Reservoir storage levels across the country are significantly better compared to the same period last year and the average for the past decade. As of now, the 161 major reservoirs hold 103.51% of last year's storage and 115% of the ten-year average. The Union Minister for Agriculture has directed officials to ensure the timely and uninterrupted availability of fertilizers across states.

Overall Outlook

The Kharif season has had a strong start, with increased sowing in key food grains, signaling a resilient supply outlook from one of the world's largest agricultural economies.