The sowing area of Rabi crops in India during the current season has reached 88% of the normal average, which is slightly below the five-year average. Overall, the total production area of Rabi crops has increased by 0.4% compared to last year, moving from 556.67 lakh hectares to 558.80 lakh hectares. However, this area is still 12% less than the normal average of 635.60 lakh hectares.
Key observations include:
Wheat and Paddy: There has been a notable increase in the sowing area for both wheat and paddy. The wheat area grew by 3.1%, from 284.17 lakh hectares to 293.11 lakh hectares. The paddy area also saw a 6% rise, from 11.39 lakh hectares to 12.07 lakh hectares.
Other Crops:
- Gram: The area of gram sowing has increased.
- Maize: The sowing area for maize remained stable, showing no significant change compared to last year.
- Mustard: The area for mustard sowing decreased by 5.5%, from 90.40 lakh hectares to 85.56 lakh hectares.
- Groundnut: Groundnut sowing area fell by 5.3%, from 2.81 lakh hectares to 2.62 lakh hectares.
- Oilseeds: Overall, the production area of Rabi oilseed crops decreased by 5.5%, from 96.96 lakh hectares to 91.60 lakh hectares.
The decline in mustard sowing is mainly attributed to higher-than-usual temperatures during November, which affected its cultivation, particularly in Rajasthan—India’s top mustard-producing state. This temperature anomaly also impacted sowing in other key mustard-producing regions like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana. This shift in crop priorities indicates that farmers are focusing more on wheat and gram cultivation, possibly due to more favorable conditions for these crops.