A sharp decline in the area under Rabi crops in Maharashtra
11-Nov-2025 06:18 PM
Mumbai. Due to several specific reasons, the sowing of Rabi crops in Maharashtra is progressing slowly, and the area under cultivation is significantly lagging behind last year.
Unseasonal rains have increased the moisture content of the soil, and secondly, there are problems in preparing for harvesting Kharif crops. Natural disasters have also damaged Kharif crops in the state.
The latest weekly data from the Maharashtra Agriculture Department shows that the total area under Rabi crops in the state reached only 9.15 lakh hectares as of November 10th this year, which is 6.19 lakh hectares less than the 15.34 lakh hectares sown during the same period last year.
Sowing of almost all crops, including wheat, sorghum, maize, and gram, is lagging behind last year. The acreage under oilseeds has also declined.
According to official data, during the current Rabi season, compared to last year, the area under wheat cultivation in Maharashtra declined from 79 thousand hectares to 42 thousand hectares,
the area under jowar fell from 7.36 lakh hectares to 4.22 lakh hectares, and the area under maize fell from 1.02 lakh hectares to 92 thousand hectares. Consequently, the total area under wheat and coarse grains declined from 9.18 lakh hectares last year to 5.56 lakh hectares this time.
Similarly, the area under pulses crops also declined from 6.03 lakh hectares last year to 3.54 lakh hectares.
Under this, the area under gram cultivation declined from 5.88 lakh hectares to 3.44 lakh hectares, and the area under other pulses fell from 15 thousand hectares to 10 thousand hectares. Maharashtra is among the leading producers of gram.
Last year, by November 10th, oilseed crops had been sown on 13,000 hectares in Maharashtra, while this time the area reached only 5,000 hectares.
Sowing of sunflower and other oilseed crops, including sesame, has begun in the state, but the pace is still very slow.
The pace of Rabi crop sowing in Maharashtra is expected to accelerate in the coming weeks due to significant increases in the minimum support prices for many crops.