Kharif paddy sowing lags 3.7% amid dip in Karnataka, Telangana
Total area sown under paddy is running 3.71 per cent lower at 421.82 lakh hectares (ha) so far in the ongoing 2026 kharif season, against 438.19 lakh ha a year ago, mainly on account of lower coverage in Karnataka and Telangana, according to data released by the Agriculture Ministry on Tuesday.
The biggest shortfalls were reported in Karnataka (4.28 lakh ha), Andhra Pradesh (1.91 lakh), Telangana (3.61 lakh), Jharkhand (1.38 lakh), Uttar Pradesh (1.84 lakh), Madhya Pradesh (1.75 lakh), Tamil Nadu (1.32 lakh ha) and Maharashtra (1.15 lakh ha).
Assam (0.52 lakh ha) and Odisha (0.29 lakh ha), however, posted higher acreage. Experts said the lag in paddy sowing has narrowed despite fears of an El Nino-hit monsoon, as most rice-growing states now rely heavily on irrigation, have shifted to short-duration varieties to cope with delayed rains, and continue to benefit from assured Government procurement. Paddy, the principal kharif crop, will be harvested from October. The Centre has set a procurement target of 708.64 lakh tonnes for paddy grown this kharif season. A marginal dip in coverage is unlikely to be a concern given adequate rice stocks with the Government.
PULSES, OILSEEDS IN FOCUS
The bigger worry, however, is the acreage under pulses and oilseeds, for which India depends significantly on imports to bridge domestic shortfalls.
Pulses sowing has improved, edging past last year’s level to 117.13 lakh ha as on September 4, compared with 115.30 lakh ha a year earlier. Tur acreage rose marginally to 45.66 lakh ha from 44.93 lakh ha, while urad area increased to 25.15 lakh ha from 22.46 lakh ha over the same period. Moong acreage, though, was lower at 33.19 lakh ha. The largest gains in pulses coverage came from Uttar Pradesh (3.97 lakh ha), Jharkhand (0.98 lakh ha) and Telangana (0.90lakh ha).
Oilseeds acreage, on the other hand, slipped to 191.99 lakh ha from 193.06 lakh ha a year ago, with soyabean area trailing slightly at 121.82 lakh ha.
CEREALS, COMMERCIAL CROPS
Among cereals, jowar and bajra acreage was marginally higher at 13.58 lakh ha and 64.86 lakh ha, respectively, while maize sowing declined to 91.09 lakh ha.
Among commercial crops, cotton acreage held steady at 109.17 lakh ha, while jute/mesta area rose to 6.34 lakh ha. Overall, the area sown to all kharif crops stood lower at 1,086.31 lakh ha, compared with 1,104 lakh ha in the corresponding period last year.
