Barley Production Forecast to Rise Due to Expansion in Sowing Area

06-Apr-2026 07:51 PM

New Delhi: Data from the Union Ministry of Agriculture indicates that the sowing area for barley—a key coarse cereal of the Rabi season—expanded by 1.29 lakh hectares, rising from 6.08 lakh hectares in the 2024-25 season to reach 7.37 lakh hectares in the 2025-26 season; furthermore, weather conditions have remained favorable for the crop.

Given the expansion in the sowing area and the satisfactory weather conditions, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has projected that domestic barley production will rise to 18.60 lakh tonnes.

This figure represents an increase of 1.61 lakh tonnes over the previous season's output of 16.99 lakh tonnes, though it remains lower than the exceptional production of 19.13 lakh tonnes recorded in the 2023-24 season.

According to the USDA report, for the 2025-26 marketing season, India's total barley availability is projected to reach 22.94 lakh tonnes, comprising a carry-over stock of 1.84 lakh tonnes from the previous season,

a production volume of 18.60 lakh tonnes, and potential imports of 2.50 lakh tonnes. Of this total, domestic consumption is estimated at 21 lakh tonnes, with exports projected at 10,000 tonnes, leaving a potential surplus stock of 1.84 lakh tonnes remaining at the end of the season.