Soybean Decline Leads to Drop in Oilseed Acreage
30-Sep-2025 04:56 PM
New Delhi. Official data shows that while castor seed cultivation has increased by 77,000 hectares and niger seed cultivation by 4,000 hectares compared to last year, sunflower acreage has remained roughly the same.
However, a decrease in sesame cultivation area by 57,000 hectares and soybean cultivation area by 910,000 hectares has resulted in a significant decline of 1051,000 hectares in the total area under oilseed crops during the Kharif season.
According to the latest data from the Union Agriculture Ministry, the total area under oilseed crops during the current Kharif season has declined from 200.52 lakh hectares to 190.01 lakh hectares as of September 26, 2025, compared to last year. Sowing has already ended.
Compared to last year, peanut cultivation area decreased from 49.96 lakh hectares to 48.31 lakh hectares, sesame cultivation area fell from 11.07 lakh hectares to 10.50 lakh hectares, sunflower cultivation area slipped from 73 thousand hectares to 70 thousand hectares, and soybean cultivation area declined from 129.55 lakh hectares to 120.45 lakh hectares.
Niger seed cultivation area improved from 98 thousand hectares to 1.02 lakh hectares, and castor cultivation area increased from 8.17 lakh hectares to 8.94 lakh hectares. Oilseed crops also suffered some damage due to natural disasters.
Although peanut cultivation area has increased in the two top producing states, Gujarat and Rajasthan, and crop conditions there are reported to be quite good, which is expected to increase production there, acreage has decreased in other producing states. On the other hand, soybean production has declined in the three major producing states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, and floods and rains have also damaged the crop. Consequently, a further decline in production is expected.
Harvesting and supply of the new soybean and peanut crops has begun, and prices are trading well below the government support price.
The Union Agriculture Ministry has already approved proposals to purchase peanuts at the minimum support price in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, while the Madhya Pradesh government has decided to implement a price difference payment scheme for soybean in the state. Farmers are not very happy with this.