The area under wheat was up at 128.37 lh
Data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare showed that the overall acreage was up at 306.31 lakh hectares (lh) compared with 272.78 lh a year ago. The normal coverage of rabi crops is 637.81 lh. By this weekend, at least 50 per cent of this normal coverage is expected to be completed.
There are two reasons for the higher rabi coverage. One is the good soil moisture with rain under the South-West monsoon continuing in October and the North-East monsoon bringing surplus rainfall until a hiatus in the first fortnight of November.
IMD rainfall data
India Meteorological Department data showed that as of November 19, post-monsoon rainfall from October 1 was 27 per cent higher than normal. Rain in the north-western part was more than double to the normal, while in the central part it was 52 per cent higher.
The second reason is that major reservoirs in the country are filled to nearly 90 per cent of their capacity. In addition, higher minimum support prices (MSP) for key crops have helped farmers to plant more early and, besides the early harvest of kharif crops.
The area under wheat was up at 128.37 lh (107.79 lh a year ago). Over a third of the normal acreage of 312.35 lh has been brought under the main rabi cereal crop so far. Rice coverage was up marginally by 0.67 lh at 8.26 lh.
Pulses acreage up 8%
The acreage of pulses was up nearly 8 per cent at 73.36 lh (68.15 lh). The coverage of gram (chana), which makes up over 70 per cent of the rabi pulses sowing, was up nine per cent at 52.71 lh. Lentils, the next big pulses crop, coverage was up by 44,000 hectares at 9.01 lh. The coverage of kulthi and field pea was up, but sowing in urad (black matpe), moong bean, lathyrus and other pulses trailed.
Maize continued to gain despite its prices ruling below the MSP currently. Overall, the area under Shri Anna and nutri-cereals was up by 14 per cent at 19.29 lh (17.26 lh). Maize coverage was increased to 6.57 lh (5,38 lh), while that of jowar, the numero uno in rabi nutricereals, was higher at 8.99 lh (0.56 lh). The area under barley, bajra, small millets and ragi has also gained.
The coverage of mustard/rapeseed was up by six per cent at 73.8 lh (69.58 lh), leading oilseeds’ acreage. Overall, the area under oilseeds rose by 5.4 per cent to 76.64 lh. Groundnut coverage was lowerby 15,000 hectares at 1.12 lh. The acreage of other oilseeds was higher, barring linseed and other oilseeds.
Published on November 24, 2025
