Kharif Crop Coverage Shrinks: Rice, Cotton and Soybean Record Biggest Dips

India's kharif sowing has begun the 2026 season on a slower note, with the total area under cultivation witnessing a significant decline compared to the same period last year. According to the latest data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare , farmers had sown crops across 182.72 lakh hectares as of June 26 , compared with 236.46 lakh hectares during the corresponding period in 2025, marking a decline of 53.74 lakh hectares .

The biggest concern lies in the reduced acreage under key food and commercial crops, including rice , pulses , oilseeds , and cotton . Since the kharif season plays a crucial role in India's food production and rural economy, the pace of sowing over the coming weeks will be closely watched, particularly as the southwest monsoon advances across the country.

Among all major crops, rice , India's staple food grain, recorded a notable fall in sowing. Farmers covered 25.75 lakh hectares this year against 34.41 lakh hectares during the same period last year, a decline of 8.65 lakh hectares . The area under pulses also fell to 14.92 lakh hectares from 21.46 lakh hectares , registering a drop of 6.53 lakh hectares . Within the pulses category, arhar saw the sharpest reduction, followed by urdbean and moongbean .

The decline was even more pronounced in oilseeds , where the sown area dropped by 19.42 lakh hectares . Soybean , one of the country's most important kharif crops, accounted for much of this fall, with acreage declining from 19.97 lakh hectares to 6.92 lakh hectares . Groundnut cultivation also reduced significantly, while only sunflower , castor , and niger registered small increases in coverage.

The area under cotton also witnessed a sharp decline. Farmers planted cotton across 29.66 lakh hectares , compared with 45.36 lakh hectares during the corresponding period last year, reflecting a reduction of 15.70 lakh hectares . Shri Anna (coarse cereals) , which includes crops such as maize , bajra , jowar , and ragi , also recorded an overall decline of 4.23 lakh hectares , although jowar posted a modest increase.

Not all crops, however, showed a downward trend. Sugarcane registered a slight increase in cultivated area, rising to 57.31 lakh hectares from 56.64 lakh hectares a year ago. Similarly, jute and mesta also recorded a marginal improvement in sowing coverage.

Agriculture experts note that early season sowing figures often fluctuate depending on the arrival and distribution of the southwest monsoon , availability of irrigation, and regional weather conditions. The government expects the sowing gap to narrow as monsoon rains strengthen across major agricultural states in the coming weeks. Final kharif acreage will depend on rainfall patterns during July, the most critical month for planting operations across the country.