kharif acreage down 1.6% on year, rice sees sharp fall

Overall kharif acreage across the country stood at 1,086.31 lakh hectares as of September 4, down 1.60 per cent from 1,104.00 lakh hectares sown during the corresponding period of 2025-26, and marginally below the normal area of 1,104.44 lakh hectares, according to the Crop Weather Watch Group (CWWG) data. Rice saw the sharpest decline among major crops, with the sown area falling 3.74 per cent to 421.82 lakh hectares from 438.19 lakh hectares a year earlier. Area under oilseeds slipped 0.56 per cent to 191.99 lakh hectares, while cotton acreage was down 0.63 per cent at 109.17 lakh hectares. Coarse cereals area edged 0.60 per cent lower at 181.39 lakh hectares. Total pulses sowing rose 1.60 per cent to 117.13 lakh hectares, primarily due to a sharp 11.95 per cent increase in urad acreage.