India's soyabean acreage for the Kharif 2026 season has almost caught up with the previous year's level, with the total sown area standing at 117.68 lakh hectares as on July 31, according to the latest Agriculture Ministry data. That is 0.70 per cent lower than the 118.52 lakh ha covered in the corresponding period last year, the data showed. The near-recovery follows a pick-up in July rains that encouraged farmers in several key states to expand planting.
Acreage closes gap with last year
Total soyabean acreage as on July 31 stood at 117.68 lakh ha, marginally lower (0.70 per cent) than the corresponding last year's 118.52 lakh ha, according to the Agriculture Ministry data cited in The Hindu BusinessLine. The trade body Soyabean Processors Association of India (SOPA), which has been monitoring the crop through field surveys, pegged the cropped area at 117.13 lakh ha.
The pick-up in July rains helped farmers in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to plant more soyabean, while area dropped in Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Karnataka, as per the ministry data.
State-wise sowing diverges
In Madhya Pradesh, the largest producing state, soyabean acreage stood at 52.09 lakh ha as on July 31, about 2 per cent higher than the corresponding last year's 51.08 lakh ha. Rains in July helped increase the area in Gujarat, where soyabean area rose by around 10 per cent to 2.79 lakh ha (2.54 lakh ha), and in Telangana by 3.80 per cent to 1.48 lakh ha (1.43 lakh ha). In Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, the soyabean area doubled this year at 0.80 lakh ha and 0.08 lakh ha respectively, the Agriculture Ministry data showed.
| State | Area as on July 31 (lakh ha) | Last year (lakh ha) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madhya Pradesh | 52.09 | 51.08 | +2% |
| Gujarat | 2.79 | 2.54 | +10% |
| Telangana | 1.48 | 1.43 | +3.80% |
| Uttar Pradesh | 0.80 | doubled | — |
| Andhra Pradesh | 0.08 | doubled | — |
| Maharashtra | 46.56 | 48.42 | -3.84% |
| Rajasthan | 9.17 | 9.70 | -5.48% |
| Karnataka | 4.09 | 4.22 | -3.17% |
| Total | 117.68 | 118.52 | -0.70% |
In contrast, Maharashtra trailed by 3.84 per cent at 46.56 lakh ha (48.42 lakh ha), Rajasthan by 5.48 per cent at 9.17 lakh ha (9.70 lakh ha) and Karnataka by 3.17 per cent at 4.09 lakh ha (4.22 lakh ha).
Crop condition: flowering stage, healthy growth
According to D N Pathak, Executive Director of SOPA, the soybean crop sown in June has reached the flowering stage in most soybean-growing areas, with overall crop condition normal to good.
Soybean crop sown during the month of June has now reached the flowering stage in most soybean-growing areas. Overall, the crop condition is normal to good. — D N Pathak, Executive Director, SOPA
Pathak added that healthy vegetative growth is being observed in most soybean-growing regions and weed management has been effective through the use of Dora/Kolpa herbicides, resulting in largely weed-free fields. No major insect pest or disease incidence has been reported during field inspections, he said.
Monitoring and data sources
The Agriculture Ministry data was published on August 1, 2026, and SOPA continues to monitor the crop through field surveys. The acreage figures cover the Kharif 2026 season sowings reported up to July 31. With July rains lifting planting in central and western states, the overall soyabean area is now within a fraction of last year's comparable level, according to the ministry data. SOPA's independent survey-based estimate of 117.13 lakh ha is close to the ministry's figure, confirming the recovery in sowing activity.
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