Has the Total Area Sown Under Kharif Crops in India Surpassed 829 Lakh Hectares?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 4% increase in kharif crop area to 829.64 lakh hectares.
- Rice sown area rose to 245.33 lakh hectares.
- Pulses area increased to 93.05 lakh hectares.
- Coarse cereals sown area reached 160.72 lakh hectares.
- MSP increases approved for 14 kharif crops.
New Delhi, July 28 (NationPress) The cumulative area dedicated to kharif crops this season has seen a notable rise of 4 percent, reaching 829.64 lakh hectares thus far, compared to 797.91 lakh hectares during the same timeframe last year, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare released on Monday.
This expansion in sown area is promising for increased agricultural output, which is likely to boost farmers' incomes and assist in managing food inflation effectively.
As of July 27 this year, the area allocated for rice stands at 245.33 lakh hectares, up from 236.16 lakh hectares in the same period last year.
The report indicates that the area sown with pulses like urad and moong has increased to 93.05 lakh hectares, compared to last year’s 89.94 lakh hectares. This uptick is significant as a rise in pulse production is crucial for controlling inflation.
The area under coarse cereals or millets such as jowar, bajra, and ragi has jumped to 160.72 lakh hectares this season from 154.97 lakh hectares last year.
The increase in sown area this season is attributed to better monsoon rains, which have positively impacted planting in the unirrigated regions of the country, representing nearly 50 percent of India's agricultural land.
Additionally, the area for sugarcane has risen to 55.16 lakh hectares from 54.88 lakh hectares during the same period last year.
On May 28, this year, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved an increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for 14 kharif crops for the marketing season 2025-26. This move aims to ensure fair prices for farmers while promoting production.
The MSP has seen the highest absolute increase for nigerseed at Rs 820 per quintal, followed by ragi at Rs 596 per quintal, cotton at Rs 589 per quintal, and sesamum at Rs 579 per quintal.