Significant decline in Rabi crop and wheat sowing due to weak monsoon

The pace of Rabi crop sowing in the country has slowed down due to a weak monsoon. According to data released by the Union Ministry of Agriculture, the total area under Rabi crops as of 30 October stood at 37.56 lakh hectares, compared to 69.02 lakh hectares during the same period last year. Thus, a significant decline of 46 percent has been recorded in the sowing area.

The situation of wheat, considered a major Rabi crop, is concerning. During the same period last year, wheat was sown in an area of 3.34 lakh hectares, which has decreased to only 19,000 hectares this year. This sharp decline in wheat sowing is due to the lack of sufficient soil moisture. Typically, wheat is sown during October-November and harvested in March-April. During the 2025-26 crop year (July-June), wheat was sown in 336 lakh hectares.

Figures for other crops also show a decline. According to weekly data, the area under pulses has decreased from 19.56 lakh hectares to 9.45 lakh hectares, with gram area seeing a decline from 14.35 lakh hectares to 5.90 lakh hectares. Similarly, the area under oilseeds stood at 20.97 lakh hectares against 38.62 lakh hectares, with the area under rapeseed and mustard declining from 38.07 lakh hectares to 20.50 lakh hectares. Coarse cereals have been sown in 3.78 lakh hectares, which is slightly lower than the 4.22 lakh hectares of last year, while winter paddy has been sown in 3.16 lakh hectares, which is lower than the 3.29 lakh hectares of last year.

According to experts, the 13 percent deficit in monsoon rainfall between June and September has led to a reduction in soil moisture, which is the main reason for the delay in sowing. Furthermore, a decrease in the availability of irrigation and water levels in reservoirs and canals in major wheat-producing states being lower than normal is also a factor, as wheat requires multiple irrigations after sowing.

During a review meeting on Monday, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan instructed officials to accelerate Rabi sowing immediately after the harvesting of Kharif crops so that the available moisture can be utilized to the maximum. He stated that in areas where irrigation water is limited, farmers should be encouraged to take up low-water and low-cost crops like gram, mustard, lentils, and millet. Chouhan asked for climate-resilient and heat-tolerant seeds developed by agricultural scientists to be made available to farmers, keeping in mind temperature fluctuations.

The ministry has clarified that the supply of Urea, DAP, MOP, and NPK as well as certified seeds for the Rabi season is sufficient, and the supply chain is being coordinated up to the district level. According to an analysis of Mandi trends, the prices of major crops like paddy, wheat, maize, gram, lentils, urad, soybean, and mustard are significantly higher than the Minimum Support Price (MSP), which could provide higher returns to farmers.