Rabi crop acreage is 9.90 lakh hectares ahead of last year
05-Nov-2025 12:59 PM
New Delhi. Indian farmers are carefully selecting Rabi crops this year based on soil moisture availability and prevailing market prices, giving special priority to some crops while others are receiving less attention.
Interestingly, initial trends show that the area under cultivation for paddy, maize, and sorghum is lagging behind last year, while farmers are showing significant interest in pulses, oilseeds, and wheat.
According to the Union Agriculture Ministry, the gross area under cultivation for Rabi crops increased to 75.78 lakh hectares as of October 31 this year, which is 9.90 lakh hectares more than the 65.88 lakh hectares under cultivation during the same period last year. It is noteworthy that the normal average area under Rabi crops for 2025-26 has been estimated at 637.80 lakh hectares.
In comparison to last year, during the current Rabi season, the area under wheat production at the national level has increased from 2.28 lakh hectares to 3.34 lakh hectares, the area under pulses has increased from 16.50 lakh hectares to 20.77 lakh hectares,
the area under coarse cereals has improved from 5.17 lakh hectares to 5.62 lakh hectares and the area under oilseed crops has jumped from 37.42 lakh hectares to 42.33 lakh hectares.
As expected, a good increase is being seen in the area under production of mustard, gram, wheat, barley and lentils. On the other hand, the area under paddy production has decreased from 4.51 lakh hectares last year and has remained stuck at 3.71 lakh hectares this time.
Among pulses crops, the area under gram production jumped from 12.15 lakh hectares to 14.92 lakh hectares, the area under lentils increased from 1.89 lakh hectares to 2.56 lakh hectares and the area under peas improved from 1.74 lakh hectares to 2.16 lakh hectares.
There has also been a good increase in the area under horse gram and black gram. Sowing of green gram and khesari has also started in some areas.
Among oilseed crops, the area under mustard production jumped from 36.73 lakh hectares last year to 41.69 lakh hectares this time, while sowing of groundnut and linseed is lagging behind. Sowing of other oilseeds has just started.
Among coarse grains, the area under sorghum fell from 2.78 lakh hectares to 2.70 lakh hectares, and the area under maize fell from 2.17 lakh hectares to 2.10 lakh hectares, but the area under barley sowing jumped from 11 thousand hectares to 47 thousand hectares. Sowing of rabi crops will continue for a long time, and its acreage will continue to expand.