Mustard Acreage Up 3.50 Lakh Hectares Year-on-Year

19-Dec-2025 01:09 PM

New Delhi. Indian farmers are showing keen interest in cultivating mustard, the most important oilseed crop of the Rabi season, as its wholesale market price has been significantly higher than the government's minimum support price for the past seven to eight months.

According to the Union Ministry of Agriculture, the total domestic area under mustard cultivation during the current Rabi season reached 84.67 lakh hectares by December 12, 2025, which is 3.51 lakh hectares more than the 81.16 lakh hectares sown during the same period last year.

This year, the five-year (normal) average area for mustard cultivation is estimated at around 79 lakh hectares, while the actual area has already exceeded this figure.

Farmers in all major producing states – Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, West Bengal, and Gujarat – continue to show enthusiasm and interest in mustard cultivation, leading to an increase in the area under cultivation.

The crop condition remains normal or satisfactory in almost all regions. The weather conditions are favorable, and there is sufficient moisture in the soil. However, uneven rainfall in some areas during October-November may affect the crop. Overall, the crop is considered satisfactory, and the future outlook also appears promising.

It is noteworthy that under the Mustard Models Farms Program of the Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA), the implementing partner, Solidaridad, is operating approximately 3000 model farms in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana during the current Rabi season.

The objective is to rapidly increase mustard production with the help of the latest technology and advanced agricultural practices.

The new mustard crop will start arriving in small quantities from February, while a strong supply will continue in the markets of all producing states from March to May.