Kharif sowing covers 96% of normal area, paddy down 3.2%

Indian farmers have sown 1,056.7 lakh hectares in the ongoing Kharif season as of August 21, reaching nearly 96% of the normal area of 1,104.46 lakh hectares, according to the Agriculture Ministry. The deficit from the same period last year narrowed to 0.3%, compared with a 2% gap earlier this month, as planting accelerated with 40 lakh hectares covered between August 15 and 21.

Paddy sowing dropped 3.2% to 405.10 lakh hectares from 418.29 lakh hectares a year ago, with major declines in Karnataka, Telangana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Maharashtra. Pulses area rose to 113.63 lakh hectares, and groundnut acreage increased to 48.79 lakh hectares, though soybean slipped to 121.35 lakh hectares. Cotton acreage was marginally lower at 108.45 lakh hectares.

The monsoon has been 16% below normal during August 1-23, with 360 of 741 districts reporting a rainfall deficit of 20% or more, the India Meteorological Department reported. The government has set a Kharif 2026 production target of 176.16 million tonnes of foodgrains, including 123.15 million tonnes of rice.