India's total kharif crop sowing area stood at 967.92 lakh hectares as of 7 August 2025, down from 985.89 lakh hectares in the same period last year, according to data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on Tuesday. The shortfall is primarily attributed to a deficient monsoon driven by the El Niño weather pattern, which has weighed heavily on water-intensive crops.

Rice and Cereal Acreage Under Pressure

The area under rice has declined sharply to 344.78 lakh hectares this season, against 360.67 lakh hectares in the corresponding period of the previous year — a drop of roughly 15.9%. Officials attribute this directly to the below-normal rainfall that has affected paddy-growing belts across the country.

Coarse cereals and millets — including jowar, bajra, and ragi — have also seen a contraction, with the sown area estimated at 168.50 lakh hectares, down from 173.21 lakh hectares a year ago. Despite the government's push to promote nutri-cereals or 'shree anna', the monsoon deficit has tempered acreage gains.

Pulses, Cotton, and Sugarcane Hold Relatively Steady

Not all crops have been equally affected. The area under pulses — chiefly urad and moong — came in at 103.78 lakh hectares, only marginally below the 105.73 lakh hectares recorded last year. Agronomists note that pulses require significantly less water than paddy, making them more resilient in a rain-scarce season.

Cotton sowing has remained nearly flat at 106.01 lakh hectares, compared with 106.42 lakh hectares in the previous year. Sugarcane, an annual crop sown earlier in the cycle, touched 58.31 lakh hectares against 58.62 lakh hectares in the same period last year — a negligible variance.

Government's MSP Boost for Kharif 2026-27

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved higher Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for 14 kharif crops for Marketing Season 2026-27. The revised MSPs are in line with the Union Budget 2018-19 commitment to fix support prices at no less than 1.5 times the all-India weighted average cost of production.

Among the beneficiaries, farmers growing moong stand to gain the most, with an estimated margin of 61% over production costs. Bajra and maize growers are in line for a 56% margin each, while tur/arhar farmers can expect around 54%. For the remaining crops, the margin over cost is estimated at 50%, according to the government statement.

Policy Push Toward Diversified Cropping

In recent seasons, the government has actively encouraged farmers to shift toward pulses, oilseeds, and nutri-cereals by offering comparatively higher MSPs for these crops. The strategy aims to reduce over-dependence on water-intensive staples like rice and wheat, improve nutritional diversity, and shore up domestic supply of protein-rich crops where India has historically faced deficits.

With the kharif season still under way, final acreage figures will be updated as sowing progresses. The trajectory of the monsoon in the remaining weeks will be critical in determining whether the current shortfall widens or narrows before the season closes.