Kharif sowing almost ends with acreage 1.7% lower than last year

Area sown till August 28 was also nearly 3 per cent below normal, while IMD's forecast of below-normal September rains puts focus on the remaining monsoon weeks

Sowing of kharif crops almost ended across India during the week ended August 28, with the deficit in acreage staying at around 1.7 per cent compared with the same period last year.

 

The area sown till August 28 was almost 3 per cent lower than the normal area, which is usually the average area covered during the same period in the last five years.

 

With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) today predicting ‘below-normal’ rains even in September 2026, all eyes will be on the distribution and spread of the remaining monsoon rains in the coming weeks to get a robust yield.

 

Meanwhile, the sowing data showed that among all the crops, the area under maize has seen the maximum drop compared with the same period last year till August 28.

  

However, compared with the situation in June, the acreage covered is much better than what it was at the end of August. The met department said 47 per cent of the country has received low rainfall this year so far from June to August.