Rabi Crop Sowing Area Reaches 536.76 Lakh Hectares

16-Dec-2025 12:03 PM

New Delhi: Supported by favorable weather conditions, Indian farmers are showing great enthusiasm for Rabi crop cultivation this year, resulting in a significant increase in the sowing area.

According to the latest weekly data from the Central Ministry of Agriculture, the Rabi crop sowing area reached 536.76 lakh hectares by December 12th of the current year,

which is 24 lakh hectares or 4.5 percent more than the 512.76 lakh hectares sown during the same period last year, and approximately 85 percent of the five-year average area of ​​637.81 lakh hectares.

The sowing area for wheat, the most important Rabi food grain, increased by 6.5 percent from 258.48 lakh hectares last year to 275.66 lakh hectares this year.

Its normal average area is estimated at 312.25 lakh hectares, while the actual area is still about 37 lakh hectares behind. Similarly, the area under Rabi paddy increased by 16 percent from 10.64 lakh hectares to 12.44 lakh hectares.

As far as pulse crops are concerned, the total sowing area has improved by only 1.5 percent from 115.41 lakh hectares last year to 117.11 lakh hectares this year, with chickpeas making a significant contribution.

Sowing of most other Rabi pulse crops is lagging behind last year's figures. The sowing area for chickpeas (including Kabuli chickpeas), the most important pulse crop, increased by about 4 percent from 81.67 lakh hectares last year to 84.91 lakh hectares this year, but it is still about 16 lakh hectares behind the five-year average area of ​​100.99 lakh hectares.

Similarly, the sowing area for lentils improved slightly to 14.60 lakh hectares, but the area under peas, horse gram, and black gram decreased.

The area under urad cultivation decreased from 3.09 lakh hectares to 2.21 lakh hectares, and the area under moong cultivation slipped from 34 thousand hectares to 32 thousand hectares.