Rabi Crop Area in Gujarat Still Lagging Behind Last Year
29-Dec-2025 08:25 PM
Ahmedabad. Sowing of Rabi crops in Gujarat, the western state of India, has reached its final stage, but the area sown is still slightly behind last year's figures. Although there has been an improvement in the sowing of wheat, sorghum, maize, gram, and mustard, the area under sugarcane, cumin, coriander, isabgol, and fennel has decreased.
According to the latest weekly report of the State Agriculture Department, the total area under Rabi crops in Gujarat as of December 29 this year reached 45.76 lakh hectares, which is about 37,000 hectares less than the 46.13 lakh hectares sown during the same period last year. Scattered sowing is still continuing in several areas.
According to official figures, compared to last year, the area under wheat in Gujarat during the current Rabi season has increased from 13.01 lakh hectares to 15.57 lakh hectares, the area under sorghum has improved from 12,000 hectares to 13,000 hectares, the area under maize has increased from 1.29 lakh hectares to 1.31 lakh hectares, and the total area under food grains has increased from 14.58 lakh hectares to 15.18 lakh hectares.
Similarly, the area under pulses has increased from 8.86 lakh hectares to 9.10 lakh hectares, and the area under oilseed crops has improved from 2.57 lakh hectares to 2.64 lakh hectares.
Among pulse crops, the area under gram has increased from 8.17 lakh hectares to 8.62 lakh hectares, and among oilseed crops, the area under mustard has increased from 2.55 lakh hectares to 2.64 lakh hectares.
On the other hand, during the period under review, the area under sugarcane has decreased from 1.68 lakh hectares to 1.48 lakh hectares. Similarly, a decline has also been recorded in the sowing of major spice crops, including cumin.
According to the data received, the area under cumin cultivation has shrunk from 4.65 lakh hectares last year to 3.99 lakh hectares this year.
Similarly, the area under coriander cultivation has decreased from 1.25 lakh hectares to 1.18 lakh hectares, the area under isabgol has fallen from 25,000 hectares to 23,000 hectares, and the area under fennel has declined from 54,000 hectares to 49,000 hectares.
It appears that the less attractive and profitable domestic market prices have led to a decline in interest among farmers in Gujarat in cultivating cumin, coriander, and other spices.