Indian farmers have significantly closed the gap in Kharif sowing, with the deficit dropping to less than 5% as of July 24, according to the agriculture ministry's weekly update reported by Agri TIO. The total sown area reached 787.38 lakh hectares (lh), compared to 826.19 lh in the same period last year, a decline of 4.7%. This marks a sharp improvement from the 21% deficit recorded as recently as July 5. Over 71% of normal Kharif acreage has now been covered, raising hopes that the impact of El Nino on overall crops may be limited, though agriculture scientists stress that rainfall in the next two months remains crucial for plant growth.
Kharif Sowing Progress by Crop Category
| Crop Group | Area Sown 2026 (lh) | Area Sown 2025 (lh) | Change (%) | Government Target (mt) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paddy (Rice) | 234.43 | 240.62 | -2.6% | 123.15 mt |
| Pulses (Total) | 84.57 | 91.46 | -7.5% | 8.4 mt |
| Oilseeds (Total) | 147.09 | 155.72 | -2.0% | 28.92 mt |
| Nutri/Coarse Cereals | 142.21 | 161.49 | -12% | 13.56 mt (nutri cereals) + 31.04 mt (maize) |
| Cotton | 98.72 | 102.71 | -4% | Not specified |
| Sugarcane | 57.58 | 56.72 | +1.5% | Not specified |
| Jute & Mesta | 6.33 | 6.20 | +2.1% | Not specified |
The overall monsoon deficit stood at 16% for the June 1–July 27 period, with July 1–27 rainfall 3% below normal, as per India Meteorological Department (IMD) data cited in the report.
Crop-wise Details: Paddy, Pulses, and Oilseeds
Paddy, the main Kharif cereal, saw acreage decline 2.6% to 234.43 lh from 240.62 lh a year ago. Official sources cited by Agri TIO indicated that higher coverage in several major states may offset the overall shortfall. The government has set a rice production target of 123.15 million tonnes (mt) for Kharif 2026, and a significant shortfall is not expected even if final acreage ends slightly below last year's.
Among pulses, arhar (pigeon pea) sowing fell 12% to 31.17 lh from 35.27 lh, while moong (green gram) dropped to 26.89 lh from 28.39 lh. Urad (black gram) bucked the trend, rising to 18.67 lh from 17.27 lh. The overall deficit in pulses narrowed to 7.5% from 23% as of July 10.
For oilseeds, soybean area slipped to 113.65 lh from 117.24 lh, while groundnut edged down to 40.2 lh from 40.77 lh. The government aims for 14.85 mt of soybeans and 11.35 mt of groundnuts this season. The oilseeds deficit has contracted sharply from 21% to just 2% over the same period.
Regional Variations in Paddy Sowing
State-wise data for paddy revealed a mixed picture. Top producer Uttar Pradesh saw a 4% increase to 57.8 lh (from 55.46 lh). Other states with gains included Punjab (31.66 lh vs 31.56 lh), Bihar (17.58 lh vs 12.89 lh), Assam (11.68 lh vs 6.76 lh), and Andhra Pradesh (4.74 lh vs 4.46 lh). In contrast, Madhya Pradesh experienced a steep decline to 19.54 lh from 27.39 lh, and Maharashtra fell to 4.9 lh from 8.59 lh. Smaller declines were reported in Chhattisgarh (-0.9 lh), West Bengal (-0.9 lh), Haryana (-1.2 lh), Telangana (-0.5 lh), and Odisha (-1.6 lh).
Outlook and Expert View
M K Dhanuka, Chairman of Dhanuka Agritech, commented on the sowing data. As reported by Agri TIO, Dhanuka said: "The latest data points to a gradual recovery, but the pace of recovery is not very uniform across crops. While rice and oilseeds have shown encouraging progress, pulses and coarse cereals continue to lag, reflecting continued regional differences in field conditions."
He stressed that the focus should now shift beyond acreage to crop management quality. "The next phase of the season will be defined by how effectively the crop already in the field is managed. Timely interventions in terms of fertilizer application, pest control, and irrigation will be decisive for yields," he added.
The government has set an overall Kharif foodgrains production target of 176.16 mt, including 8.4 mt of pulses. For coarse cereals, production targets are 31.04 mt for maize and 13.56 mt for nutri cereals. Traders and procurement teams will be watching rainfall distribution over the next two months as a key determinant of final output. The narrowing sowing deficit, combined with a recovering monsoon, offers some reassurance, but uneven regional patterns and crop-specific lags—especially in pulses and coarse cereals—may keep supply concerns alive for certain commodities.
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