Maharashtra’s Rabi Acreage Falls by 3 Lakh Hectares
10-Dec-2025 12:46 PM
Mumbai. Following significant damage to Kharif crops due to heavy rains and severe flooding and waterlogging during the southwest monsoon season, farmers in Maharashtra were expected to show a strong interest in sowing Rabi crops. However, on the contrary, Rabi crops in the state are witnessing a decline.
The latest weekly data from the State Agricultural Development Authority shows that the total Rabi crop acreage in Maharashtra, as of December 9, 2025, reached only 43.34 lakh hectares, which is 3.02 lakh hectares less than the 46.36 lakh hectares sown during the same period last year.
According to official data, during the current Rabi season, compared to last year, the area under wheat production in Maharashtra improved from 7.32 lakh hectares to 7.43 lakh hectares and the area under maize increased from 2.96 lakh hectares to 3.50 lakh hectares.
However, the area under sorghum declined from 13.19 lakh hectares to 11.13 lakh hectares, resulting in a decrease in the total area under cereal crops from 23.52 lakh hectares to 22.14 lakh hectares.
Similarly, the gross area under pulses production in Maharashtra also decreased from 22.43 lakh hectares last year to 20.90 lakh hectares this time.
Under this, the area under gram fell from 1.51 lakh hectares to 20.01 lakh hectares and the area under pulses crops slipped from 92 thousand hectares to 89 thousand hectares.
In Maharashtra, oilseed crops are cultivated in a limited area during the Rabi season, which includes sesame and sunflower, among other oilseed crops.
The total production area has reached 30,000 hectares, which is significantly less than last year's area of 40,000 hectares.
Maharashtra is among the top producers of sorghum and gram, but during the current Rabi season, the area under cultivation for these two crops is declining.
On the other hand, farmers' interest in sowing wheat and maize remains intact. Currently, sowing of Rabi crops is continuing in the state, due to which the area under cultivation is expected to improve in the future.