New Delhi: Enhanced monsoon distribution over the past two weeks has pushed the total
sowing area to 109.23 million hectares as of September 6, reflecting a 2.16% increase from
106.92 million hectares the previous year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture &
Farmers Welfare. By September 6, 99.86% of the normal sowing area (109.58 million
hectares) had been planted. The “normal sowing area” refers to the average sowing area from
2018-19 to 2022-23.
Paddy sowing exceeded the normal area of 40.15 million hectares by 2%, reaching 40.95
million hectares, a 4.06% rise from last year’s 39.35 million hectares.
The sowing of coarse cereals, or Shree Anna, also surpassed expectations, covering 18.87
million hectares, 4.37% more than the normal 18.08 million hectares, and 3.85% higher than
last year’s 18.17 million hectares. Pulses saw a 7.58% increase, with 12.62 million hectares
planted, compared to 11.73 million hectares last year. Tur (arhar) dal alone accounted for 4.57
million hectares.
Implications
The expanded sowing area signals positive prospects for the agriculture sector and
government initiatives to enhance farm productivity. A successful harvest could lead to lower
prices for key crops, particularly pulses, assuming favorable conditions.
This development helps mitigate concerns about food inflation, which has been more
persistent than overall inflation in recent months. India’s food inflation dropped to a
13-month low of 5.42% in July after eight months of staying above 7%.
The extensive sowing has also bolstered confidence among policymakers, as Kharif
production accounts for about 60% of India’s total food grain output.
Underperforming Crops
Oilseed cultivation showed a modest rise, reaching 19.24 million hectares from 18.94 million
hectares last year, while the sugarcane area remained nearly flat at 5.76 million hectares,
compared to 5.71 million hectares the previous year. Not all crops showed growth: jute and
mesta sowing decreased to 571,000 hectares from 666,000 hectares, and cotton cultivation
fell to 11.21 million hectares from 12.33 million hectares.
“The current sowing patterns suggest a strong production outlook for Kharif crops, including
oilseeds. While excessive rainfall forecasted for September could pose a risk, overall crop
production is expected to improve this season,” said Dr. Anand Vishwakarma, project
coordinator at the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Sesame and Niger,
Jabalpur.
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