India’s Summer Crop Sowing Rises to 72.30 Lakh Hectares as Pulses, Oilseeds Lead Growth
India summer crop sowing reached 72.30 lakh hectares, up year-on-year. Pulses, oilseeds, and maize led growth, while rice acreage declined. The trend reflects shifting farmer preference toward profitable, low-input, and climate-resilient crops, supporting diversification and reducing import dependence on edible oils and pulses.
New Delhi: India’s total area coverage under summer crops has reached 72.30 lakh hectares as on April 24, 2026, up by 2.11 lakh hectares from 70.19 lakh hectares recorded during the corresponding period last year, according to the latest update released by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
The latest sowing data indicates stronger farmer interest in pulses, oilseeds and coarse cereals, while rice acreage has declined compared with the same period in 2025.
Rice Area Slips Below Last Year
Rice, one of the key summer crops, has been sown across 30.68 lakh hectares so far this season, compared with 32.31 lakh hectares during the same period last year. This marks a decline of 1.63 lakh hectares. However, the current season’s coverage remains close to the normal summer area estimate of 31.49 lakh hectares.
The moderation in rice acreage may reflect changing water availability patterns, regional crop shifts, or farmer preference for alternative crops offering lower input costs or better market prospects.
Pulses Register Strong Expansion
Summer pulses have shown healthy growth, with sowing reaching 17.19 lakh hectares against 15.93 lakh hectares last year, an increase of 1.26 lakh hectares.
Among pulse crops, greengram has covered 13.17 lakh hectares, marginally higher than 12.99 lakh hectares last year. Blackgram posted sharper growth, rising to 3.72 lakh hectares from 2.75 lakh hectares, an increase of 0.96 lakh hectares. Other pulses together accounted for 0.30 lakh hectares.
The increase in pulses acreage is significant for India’s nutritional security and import reduction strategy, as pulses remain an important source of protein and soil-enriching crop rotations.
Coarse Cereals and Shree Anna Continue Momentum
Area under Shree Anna and coarse cereals has reached 15.21 lakh hectares, compared with 14.25 lakh hectares during the same period last year, registering a gain of 0.97 lakh hectares.
Maize has emerged as the biggest contributor in this category, expanding to 9.50 lakh hectares from 8.50 lakh hectares last year. Bajra stands at 5.10 lakh hectares, slightly lower than 5.20 lakh hectares a year ago. Jowar has inched up to 0.37 lakh hectares, while ragi has increased to 0.22 lakh hectares.
The continued growth of millets and coarse cereals aligns with India’s broader push to diversify food systems, strengthen climate resilience and promote nutritious grains in domestic and export markets.
Oilseeds Show Robust Growth
Oilseeds have posted one of the strongest gains this season, with area coverage rising to 9.21 lakh hectares from 7.71 lakh hectares last year, an increase of 1.50 lakh hectares.
Groundnut leads the category with 5.51 lakh hectares sown, sharply higher than 4.20 lakh hectares in the previous year. Sunflower has increased slightly to 0.39 lakh hectares, while sesamum stands at 3.25 lakh hectares compared with 3.09 lakh hectares last year.
Higher oilseed acreage is closely watched as India seeks to reduce dependence on edible oil imports and strengthen domestic production.
Seasonal Outlook
The latest figures suggest that farmers are increasingly balancing traditional staples with pulses, oilseeds and maize-based systems. While rice has seen some contraction, gains in other crop categories have kept overall summer sowing ahead of last year.
With sowing still progressing in some regions, final summer crop area may see further movement depending on irrigation availability, weather conditions, input supply and market signals in the coming weeks.
| S. No. | Crops | Normal Summer Area* | Final Summer Area 2025 | Current Year 2026 | Corresponding Period Last Year 2025 | Increase / Decrease |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rice | 31.49 | 33.28 | 30.68 | 32.31 | -1.63 |
| 2 | Pulses | 23.40 | 27.07 | 17.19 | 15.93 | 1.26 |
| a | Greengram | 20.44 | 23.49 | 13.17 | 12.99 | 0.18 |
| b | Blackgram | 2.96 | 3.26 | 3.72 | 2.75 | 0.96 |
| c | Other Pulses | 0.00 | – | 0.30 | 0.18 | 0.12 |
| 3 | Shree Anna cum Coarse Cereals | 12.08 | 14.06 | 15.21 | 14.25 | 0.97 |
| a | Jowar | 0.34 | 0.36 | 0.37 | 0.36 | 0.01 |
| b | Bajra | 4.43 | 5.20 | 5.10 | 5.20 | -0.10 |
| c | Ragi | 0.31 | – | 0.22 | 0.16 | 0.06 |
| d | Small Millets | 0.02 | – | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.00 |
| e | Maize | 6.98 | 8.50 | 9.50 | 8.50 | 1.00 |
| 4 | Oilseeds | 8.40 | 9.51 | 9.21 | 7.71 | 1.50 |
| a | Groundnut | 3.40 | 4.20 | 5.51 | 4.20 | 1.31 |
| b | Sunflower | 0.34 | 0.35 | 0.39 | 0.35 | 0.04 |
| c | Sesamum | 4.66 | 4.96 | 3.25 | 3.09 | 0.16 |
| d | Other Oilseeds | 0.00 | – | 0.06 | 0.06 | -0.01 |
| Total | 75.37 | 83.92 | 72.30 | 70.19 | 2.11 |
Normal area based on average of 2022-23 to 2024-25 (Area in Lakh Hectare).
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Source : Global Agriculture
