The sowing area of rabi crops in India has seen a significant improvement, reaching 614.94 lakh hectares as of December 27, 2024. This is an increase of 6.14 lakh hectares compared to the same period last year. The rabi sowing season, which is nearing its end by mid-January, has seen varied trends across different crops.

Key highlights include:

• Wheat: The sowing area of wheat has increased by 2.2%, reaching 319.74 lakh hectares, which is higher than both last year's area of 313 lakh hectares and the normal average of 312.35 lakh hectares.
• Pulses: The total sowing area of pulses has improved slightly to 136.13 lakh hectares, which is marginally higher than last year's 136.05 lakh hectares. The area of gram, the major pulse crop, increased by 1% to 93.98 lakh hectares.
• Lentils: However, the area for lentils decreased by 1.9% from 17.76 lakh hectares last year to 17.43 lakh hectares this year.
• Mustard: Mustard sowing, on the other hand, has declined, with the area remaining stable at 88.50 lakh hectares, which is 5.6% less than last year's 93.73 lakh hectares.
• Oilseeds: Overall, the area under oilseed crops during the rabi season has decreased by 5.2% compared to last year.
• Maize: The sowing area for maize has also increased compared to last year.

The total rabi sowing area has reached 97% of the five-year average of 635.60 lakh hectares, indicating a positive trend in overall crop area this season.