Kharif sowing in India has fallen below last year's levels, with farmers planting crops across 65.8 million hectares as of July 17, down 4.2 million hectares from the same date in 2022, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Last year, the total area sown was 70 million hectares at the same time.
Key Details
Sowing of key kharif crops has been particularly affected. Paddy acreage decreased by 141,000 hectares, with farmers planting the crop on 16.6 million hectares compared to 16.7 million hectares last year. Oilseed sowing also lagged, with 14.7 million hectares planted, down by 863,000 hectares from the previous year. Soybean and groundnut sowing fell by 502,000 hectares and 317,000 hectares, respectively.
The area under coarse cereals, including bajra and maize, decreased by 1.51 million hectares, totaling 11.9 million hectares. Pulses acreage also declined, standing at 6.9 million hectares, which is 1.2 million hectares below last year. Notably, arhar sowing was lower by 536,000 hectares, urdbean by 85,000 hectares, and moongbean by 297,000 hectares. In contrast, sugarcane planting increased, reaching 5.7 million hectares, which is 86,000 hectares above last year's area.
Background
Despite the overall decline, agriculture experts noted that the sowing gap has narrowed in recent weeks due to improved rainfall in several regions. However, uneven precipitation continues to impact planting in parts of eastern and central India. Experts suggest that if monsoon activity intensifies, the sowing gap may continue to close, although prolonged rainfall deficiency in major rainfed states could still affect acreage under oilseeds, pulses, and coarse cereals.
The decline in kharif sowing could lead to reduced supply of key agricultural commodities, potentially driving up prices for crops such as paddy and oilseeds. This situation may impact food inflation and agricultural sector performance. Investors will watch for updates on monsoon activity and its effects on crop planting in the coming weeks.