Sowing area for Kharif pulses lags significantly behind last year

17-Jun-2026 06:50 PM

New Delhi. Sowing of Kharif pulse crops has got off to a slow start this year due to unfavorable weather and monsoon conditions. Farmers in major producing states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh are waiting for monsoon rains to pick up the pace of sowing. The Southwest monsoon is expected not only to arrive late in various parts of the country but also to be weak this time.

According to official data, the area under pulse crops was trailing by approximately 43 percent as of June 12 during the current Kharif season compared to last year. The Kharif season primarily sees the production of Arhar (Tur/pigeon pea), Moong (green gram), and Urad (black gram), alongside pulses like Kulthi (horse gram), Khesari (grass pea), and Moth (dew bean).

Compared to last year, the area under Tur has dropped by 57 percent to 9,000 hectares; the sowing area for Moong has fallen by 55 percent from 1.54 lakh hectares to 69,000 hectares; and the acreage for Urad has declined by 22 percent from 35,000 hectares to 27,000 hectares.

The President of the Karnataka State Red Gram Growers Association, based in Kalaburagi, states that there has been no rainfall yet in the state's major producing regions, and it remains uncertain whether timely rains will occur in the coming days. Farmers are concerned about the delay in rainfall.

A similar situation is being observed in Maharashtra, where the Agriculture Department is advising farmers not to rush into sowing crops until there is adequate monsoon rainfall. Sowing is stalled in Latur and Solapur. Tur sowing is being affected in Telangana.

At the national level, rainfall was 32 percent below the normal average during the period of June 1–15. Tur sowing has not yet commenced in Latur due to the lack of rainfall. Some parts of Karnataka's Kalaburagi district received rainfall a few weeks ago, and the sowing of green gram has begun there.