Paddy Cultivation Area Declines Across All Four Southern States

15-Sep-2026 12:26 PM

New Delhi: Due to a lack of adequate rainfall from the southwest monsoon, there has been a significant drop in the cultivation area of ​​paddy—the country's primary food grain—during the current Kharif season. The acreage saw a substantial decline, particularly in South India. Additionally, paddy cultivation areas in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand also lagged behind last year's figures. The paddy sowing process has largely concluded.

Data from the Union Ministry of Agriculture indicates that the total paddy cultivation area for the current Kharif season reached 426.81 lakh hectares by September 11, 2026. While this is approximately 4 percent (or 16.97 lakh hectares) lower than the 443.78 lakh hectares recorded during the same period last year—when acreage had surged to an all-time high—it remains significantly above the normal (five-year) average area of ​​405.36 lakh hectares.

Official figures show that compared to the previous year, the paddy cultivation area declined by 4.54 lakh hectares in Karnataka, 4.46 lakh hectares in Telangana, 1.90 lakh hectares in Andhra Pradesh, 1.84 lakh hectares in Uttar Pradesh, 1.75 lakh hectares in Madhya Pradesh, 1.40 lakh hectares in Tamil Nadu, 1.15 lakh hectares in Maharashtra, and 97,000 hectares in Jharkhand. While paddy acreage increased in some states, other regions saw only marginal fluctuations. Paddy is arguably the only agricultural crop cultivated across every state and Union Territory in the country. Harvesting of the new crop is set to begin next month (October).

Given the decline in cultivation area and deficient monsoon rainfall, paddy production is expected to fall this year; consequently, the government has slightly reduced its procurement target for the central pool.