According to the report titled Progress of Area Coverage under Kharif Crops, published by the Department of Statistics under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the total area sown under kharif crops stood at 236.46 lakh hectares as of June 25, 2025. By June 25, 2026, the figure had declined to 182.72 lakh hectares.
The decline comes amid a weak monsoon season across India. The national weather office reported that cumulative rainfall between June 1 and July 1, 2026, remained 38 percent below the long-term average. The southwest monsoon, which normally arrives over Kerala on June 1, reached the state on June 4 this year and has progressed slowly, leaving large parts of northern and central India with substantial rainfall deficits.
Among all major crop categories, oilseeds recorded the steepest decline in sowing. The area under oilseed cultivation dropped from 36.41 lakh hectares as of June 25, 2025, to 16.99 lakh hectares by June 25, 2026, marking a year-on-year reduction of approximately 19.42 lakh hectares.
Rice cultivation also registered a significant setback. The total area sown under rice decreased by 8.65 lakh hectares, falling from 34.41 lakh hectares on June 25, 2025, to 25.75 lakh hectares during the same period this year, according to the agriculture ministry.
Pulses cultivation has also been affected despite the Central Government's continued efforts to strengthen domestic production by regularly increasing the Minimum Support Price for pulse crops. The report states that the total area under pulses declined by 6.53 lakh hectares. The area under pulse cultivation fell from 21.46 lakh hectares as of June 25, 2025, to 14.92 lakh hectares as of June 25, 2026.
Cotton cultivation has also witnessed a substantial decline, with the sown area reducing by 15.70 lakh hectares compared with the previous year, reflecting the widespread impact of deficient monsoon conditions on agricultural operations.
Despite the current situation, the India Meteorological Department has projected an improvement in weather conditions over the coming days. The department stated that conditions are expected to become favourable for the further advancement of the southwest monsoon into Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, parts of Punjab, and parts of Rajasthan.
The weather department has also forecast the formation of a low-pressure area over the northwest Bay of Bengal around July 3. The system is expected to keep monsoon activity active across central India for the next five to six days, potentially improving rainfall distribution in several regions.
The India Meteorological Department has further forecast isolated instances of very heavy rainfall over the South Gujarat region and Konkan between July 2 and July 5, coastal Karnataka on July 2, Madhya Maharashtra from July 2 to July 5, and southwest Madhya Pradesh on July 3 and July 4.
The sharp decline in kharif crop sowing highlights the growing impact of delayed and deficient monsoon rainfall on India's agricultural sector. While forecasts indicate improved weather conditions in the coming days, the extent to which the advancing monsoon can offset the substantial sowing deficit will remain critical for crop production and food security during the current agricultural season.
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