Excess and widespread monsoon rainfall this year has lifted India’s kharif foodgrain output to a record 173.33 million tonnes (mt), up 3.87 mt from last year’s 169.4 mt, driven mainly by higher rice and maize production. According to the first advance estimates released on Wednesday, kharif rice output for 2025–26 is pegged at 124.504 mt—1.732 mt higher than last year’s 122.77 mt. Maize production is estimated at 28.303 mt, a sharp increase of 3.495 mt from 24.8 mt a year ago.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that although excessive rainfall damaged crops in some pockets, most regions benefited from a strong monsoon, supporting overall growth.
Above normal monsoon
The 2025 South-West monsoon was above normal, delivering 108 per cent of the long-period average. It arrived a week early, on June 1, and withdrew on October 16, resulting in extended rainfall across several regions.
Heavy rains in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and parts of Rajasthan affected pulses and oilseeds, while Cyclone Montha in October hit cotton crops in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Coarse cereals gain
As per the First Advance Estimates, kharif nutri/cereal coarse grains output is expected to rise to 41.414 mt from 38.95 mt last year. Kharif pulses production, however, is projected slightly lower at 7.41 mt compared with 7.73 mt, mainly due to reduced output of tur and urad. Tur production is estimated at 3.59 mt (3.62 mt last year), with excess rains impacting fields in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Urad output is projected at 1.20 mt, down from 1.34 mt, with Madhya Pradesh particularly affected. Moong production is also marginally lower at 1.72 mt (1.74 mt previously) due to damage in Karnataka, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.
Oilseeds edge down
Total kharif oilseed production for 2025–26 is projected at 27.563 mt, slightly below last year’s 28 mt. Groundnut output is estimated higher at 11.09 mt (10.4 mt last year), supported by improved acreage and yields in Gujarat. Soybean production is seen lower at 14.26 mt versus 15.2 mt a year ago because of excess rainfall in parts of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Sugarcane production is expected to rise to 475.614 mt, an increase of 21.003 mt over last year. Cotton output is estimated lower at 29.215 million bales (of 170 kg each), while jute and mesta production is pegged at 8.345 million bales (of 180 kg each), the release said.
Published on November 26, 2025
