Kharif Crop Sowing Exceeds 1,104 Lakh Hectares, Boosted by Favorable Monsoon
New Delhi, September 23: The sowing of Kharif crops has surpassed 1,104 lakh hectares, up from 1,096 lakh hectares reported as of September 17, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Major crops like paddy, coarse cereals, oilseeds, and sugarcane have all exceeded the normal sowing area this season.
Paddy sowing has reached 413 lakh hectares as of September 23, compared to 404 lakh hectares during the same period last year. For pulses, the sown area has increased to 128.58 lakh hectares, up from 119.28 lakh hectares in the corresponding period of the previous year. The area under coarse cereals has also grown to 192.55 lakh hectares, compared to 186.07 lakh hectares last year. Oilseeds have seen a rise in coverage to 193.32 lakh hectares, compared to 190.92 lakh hectares in the same period last year.
Sugarcane cultivation has also expanded, with 57.68 lakh hectares under cultivation, slightly higher than the 57.11 lakh hectares recorded during the same period last year.
This growth in Kharif crop sowing is largely attributed to a better monsoon this year, which has supported sowing in unirrigated areas. These rain-fed regions account for nearly 50% of India’s farmland, and the favorable rainfall has led to an increase in the total sown area for the current season. Paddy, in particular, has exceeded its five-year average area.
In addition, the country’s horticulture production is estimated to reach 353.19 million tonnes in 2023-24, covering 28.98 million hectares. Production of fruits, honey, flowers, plantation crops, spices, aromatics, and medicinal plants is also expected to rise, as per the Ministry’s third advance estimates for 2022-23.
Further bolstering the agriculture sector, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced an allocation of ₹1.52 lakh crore in the 2024-25 Union Budget. This funding aims to boost production and enhance resilience in agriculture and allied sectors.
