Maharashtra Kharif Sowing Lags by 2.67 Lakh Hectares
30-Jul-2025 05:53 PM
Mumbai. Sowing of Kharif crops is going on regularly in the western state of the country- Maharashtra, but due to monsoon rain being less in some places and more in others, the pace of sowing has slowed down.
The latest data of the state agriculture department shows that till 28 July this year, the total production area of Kharif crops in Maharashtra could reach 132.77 lakh hectares, which is about 2.67 lakh hectares less than last year's sowing area of 135.45 lakh hectares. The area of all other crops except maize is lagging behind last year.
According to the available data, during the current Kharif season, compared to last year, paddy production area in Maharashtra fell from 9.11 lakh hectare to 8.94 lakh hectare, jowar area slipped from 1.01 lakh hectare to 82 thousand hectare and millet sowing area decreased from 3.91 lakh hectare to 3.13 lakh hectare,
but maize area jumped from 10.52 lakh hectare to 13.84 lakh hectare, due to which the total production area of paddy and coarse grains increased from 25.22 lakh hectare last year to 27.30 lakh hectare this time.
The production of pulses crops fell from 18.76 lakh hectare last year to 17.93 lakh tonnes this time. Under this, the sowing area of Arhar (Tuvar) decreased from 11.95 lakh hectare to 11.77 lakh hectare,
the sowing area of moong slipped from 2.26 lakh hectare to 2.07 lakh hectare and the area of Urad slipped from 3.92 lakh hectare to 3.53 lakh hectare. The area of other pulses was 56 thousand hectare which is 7 thousand hectare less than 63 thousand hectare last year.
Among the oilseed crops, the production area of soybean decreased from 49.37 lakh hectare last year to 48.24 lakh hectare this time, the sowing area of groundnut fell from 1.40 lakh hectare to 1.19 lakh hectare and the area of sunflower slipped from 9 thousand hectare to 4 thousand hectare.
Sesame has been cultivated in 3 thousand hectare whereas last year it was cultivated in 7 thousand hectare. Similarly, the cotton production area has also decreased by 2.48 lakh hectares from 40.49 lakh hectares last year to 38.01 lakh hectares this time. Sowing of crops is still going on.