Rice emerges worst-hit kharif crop, acreage drops to 433.62 lakh hectares

The decline in rice acreage was significantly higher than the fall recorded in any other major kharif crop, highlighting the impact of below-normal rainfall during the southwest monsoon season on paddy cultivation.

Among states, Telangana recorded the sharpest decline in rice acreage at 4.26 lakh hectares, with the area under the crop falling to 22.99 lakh hectares from 27.25 lakh hectares last year. Karnataka followed closely, reporting a decline of 4.23 lakh hectares to 6.20 lakh hectares.

Jharkhand and Maharashtra also recorded sizeable declines of 1 lakh hectares and 1.15 lakh hectares, respectively.

The fall, however, was partly offset by higher rice acreage in some states.

Odisha recorded an increase of 0.66 lakh hectares, followed by Assam at 0.59 lakh hectares and Bihar at 0.26 lakh hectares. Gujarat, Haryana and Punjab also reported marginal increases.

The data also showed that the overall decline was not uniform across kharif crops.

“Total pulses acreage rose by 2.57 lakh hectares to 122.39 lakh hectares, with urad acreage increasing by 2.96 lakh hectares and arhar by 1.49 lakh hectares. Moong acreage, however, declined by 1.17 lakh hectares,” it said.

Among coarse cereals, acreage under jowar increased by 1.30 lakh hectares and bajra by 2.09 lakh hectares, while maize acreage fell by 2.80 lakh hectares.

Oilseeds recorded a marginal increase of 1.11 lakh hectares, reaching 196.66 lakh hectares. Within the oilseed basket, sesame acreage rose by 1.37 lakh hectares and sunflower by 0.59 lakh hectares, while castor acreage declined by 0.80 lakh hectares.

Cotton acreage stood at 110.53 lakh hectares, down 0.55 lakh hectares from 111.08 lakh hectares last year, while sugarcane acreage declined marginally by 0.26 lakh hectares, the data added.

The agriculture ministry’s data comes against the backdrop of a southwest monsoon season that saw uneven rainfall across the country, with the deficit affecting sowing operations in several regions. The sharp contraction in paddy acreage is particularly significant for foodgrain availability as rice remains one of India’s key kharif crops.