Kharif Sowings

An uncertain monsoon could work in favour of India's soluble fertiliser makers this Kharif season, but a sharp rise in prices poses a bigger risk to demand, industry body SFAI said on Sunday. Prices of key inputs have surged 60-100 per cent over the past year due to China's export curbs and disruptions linked to tensions in West Asia, Soluble Fertilizer Association of India (SFAI) President Rajib Chakraborty said. "Current prices are almost 60 to 100 per cent up," Chakraborty told PTI, adding that monoammonium phosphate (MAP), which sold for around USD 1,000 per tonne over the last couple of years, is now trading at USD 1,500-1,600 per tonne. "An increase of USD 600 per tonne means it's a big thing," he noted. Asked about the biggest risk to the sector this season, Chakraborty said it was the possibility of a drop in consumption due to the price rise. "The moment it becomes very expensive, farmers stop using it," he said, adding that price control was not possible or within the ..

All major ministries attend high-level review meeting on low monsoon impact; rains 51 per cent surplus on Tuesday

Total sowing of kharif crops, including paddy, declined to 350.85 lakh hectares, a 21 per cent decrease from 442.8 lakh hectares last year, agriculture ministry data showed on Monday, citing low rainfall amid delayed progress of the southwest monsoon. As per the data, paddy acreage is down by 13 per cent to 60.24 lakh hectares till July 6 in the ongoing kharif season compared with 69.3 lakh hectares last year. The pulses sowing has also declined to 37.15 lakh hectares from 47.49 lakh hectares last year, the data showed. The area under coverage for Shri Anna cumulative coarse cereals fell to 60.12 lakh hectares from 71.86 lakh hectares. Sowing area under oilseeds declined sharply to 66.31 lakh hectares from 109.27 lakh hectares last year, the data showed. Cotton sowing also dropped to 63.18 lakh hectares from 82 lakh hectares last year.

An active southwest monsoon is expected to accelerate kharif sowing after a weak June, helping narrow the rainfall deficit and support crop prospects

July rainfall is expected to be less than 94% of the long-term average of about 28 centimeters, largely due to the emergence of an El Niño weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean

If rains are less in the central and western parts of the country, where irrigation coverage is lower than the national average, the impact on oilseeds and pulses could be more

Sowing of kharif crops including paddy is lagging significantly in the country, with total acreage at 182.72 lakh hectares as of June, down 23 per cent compared to 236.46 lakh hectares a year earlier, amid delayed onset and sluggish progress of the southwest monsoon, according to agriculture ministry data. Not only rice but also pulses, oilseeds, coarse cereals and cotton have seen lower sowing than the year-ago period. Sowing of kharif crops normally begins with the onset of southwest monsoon from June. According to the latest data, paddy acreage -- the main kharif crop -- was down 25.17 per cent at 25.75 lakh hectares as on June 25, against 34.41 lakh hectares last year. Pulses sowing lagged by 30.47 per cent at 14.92 lakh hectares versus 21.46 lakh hectares, while oilseeds area plunged 53.33 per cent to 16.99 lakh hectares from 36.41 lakh hectares. Among pulses, tur/arhar sowing stood at 3.56 lakh hectares against 8.45 lakh hectares. In oilseeds, groundnut area fell to 8.87 la

Paddy sowing so far this kharif season is higher by 12 per cent at 364.80 lakh hectares, according to government data. Sowing of paddy -- the main crop of kharif (summer-sown) season -- stood at 325.36 lakh hectares in the same period last year. The Department of Agriculture has released progress of area coverage under kharif crops as on August 8, 2025. Total sowing area of all kharif crops rose to 995.63 lakh hectares till August 8, from 957.15 lakh hectares a year ago, an official statement said on Monday. The acreage of pulses increased marginally to 106.68 lakh hectares from 106.52 lakh hectares, while the sowing area of coarse cereals rose to 178.73 lakh hectares from 170.96 lakh hectares. In the non-foodgrains category, the acreage of oilseeds was down at 175.61 lakh hectares from 182.43 lakh hectares. Area under cotton was down at 106.96 lakh hectares from 110.49 lakh hectares. However, sugarcane sowing was slightly higher so far at 57.31 lakh hectares against 55.68 lakh

Owing to deluge of cheap imports, the area under pulses is down

In Rajasthan, the main crops grown during the monsoon season include pearl millet (bajra), moong, moth, groundnut, soybean, cotton, and guar (cluster beans)

India Meteorological Department (IMD) data showed that rainfall from July 10-16 were almost 31 per cent above normal in North-West India

The sowing data also showed that cotton acreage is almost 9 per cent less than normal as farmers have opted for some other crops due to repeated instances of pest infestations

Paddy sowing so far this Kharif season is higher by 13 per cent at 4.53 lakh hectares, according to the government data. Sowing of paddy stood at 4 lakh hectares in the same period last year. The Department of Agriculture has released progress of area coverage under kharif crops (summer-sown) as on June 13, 2025, according to an official statement on Tuesday. The acreage of pulses has also increased to 3.07 lakh hectare from 2.6 lakh hectare. Sowing of Shri Anna cum Coarse cereals remained flat at 5.89 lakh hectare so far this kharif season as against 5.9 lakh hectares in the year-ago period. In the non-foodgrains category, the acreage of oilseeds has risen to 2.05 lakh hectares so far from 1.5 lakh hectare in the same period last year. Sugarcane sowing is also slightly higher so far at 55.07 lakh hectare against 54.88 lakh hectare in the year-ago period. Area under cotton is marginally lower at 13.19 lakh hectare from 13.28 lakh hectare. Total sowing area of all kharif crops h

As of September 6, improved monsoon rainfall has boosted Kharif sowing to 109.23 million hectares, the data released by the Centre showed

Data showed that till August 9, kharif crops had been sown in around 98 million hectares, 1.39 per cent more compared to the same period last year

Farmers have increased the area under paddy cultivation by 4.28 per cent to 33.18 million hectares, while cotton acreage declined in the ongoing 2024-25 kharif (summer-sown) crop season, according to government data released on Monday. The agriculture ministry reported that paddy sowing rose to 33.18 million hectares as of August 12, up from 31.82 million hectares in the same period last year. The increase in the paddy acreage comes amid forecasts of widespread rainfall across several regions by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). As per the ministry's data, pulses acreage marginally increased to 11.74 million hectares in the ongoing kharif season from 11.01 million hectares in the year-ago period. Oilseeds area remained relatively flat at 18.37 million hectares compared to 18.22 million hectares last year. Cotton sowing declined to 11.05 million hectares as of August 12 from 12.12 million hectares in the same period the previous season. Among pulses, pigeon pea (arhar) sa

Rajasthan is the top-most producer of guar with around 70% share in the country's total production of the crop

Monsoon enters weak phase; August 1-11 cumulative deficit at almost 29 per cent

Agriculture and allied sectors contribute around 25 per cent to the state's gross domestic product (GDP)

Area under paddy is down 26 per cent to 26.55 lakh hectare so far in the ongoing kharif (summer-sown) season amid slow progress of the southwest monsoon. The paddy acreage stood at 36.05 lakh hectare in the corresponding period last year, according to the agriculture ministry data. Paddy is the main kharif crop, sowing of which normally starts with the onset of southwest monsoon. About 80 per cent of the country's total rice production comes from kharif season. Area under pulses is marginally less at 18.15 lakh hectare so far from 18.51 lakh hectare in the same period last year, the ministry said in a statement. Shri Anna-cum-coarse cereals acreage has risen at 36.23 lakh hectare so far as against 22.41 lakh hectare in the corresponding period last year. Area under oilseeds has increased at 21.55 lakh hectare from 18.81 lakh hectare.Cotton acreage is down at 40.49 lakh hectare so far from 47.04 lakh hectare last year. Area under sugarcane stood at 54.40 lakh hectare as against 52.