Archive · 12 Aug 2026
Kharif crop area reaches 967 lakh hectares amid weak monsoon
Every year, when the rainy season called the monsoon comes to India, farmers plant their main crops, like rice.
This planting season is called kharif.
This year the rains were not enough, so farmers planted a little less than last year.
By August 7, farmers had planted about 967 lakh hectares — one lakh is one hundred thousand — compared with 985 lakh hectares by the same time last year.
The main reason is something called El Nino, a weather pattern that can make the monsoon weaker.
Rice fields got smaller because rice needs a lot of water.
Farmers planted almost the same amount of pulses, like moong and urad, because those crops need less water.
They also planted a little less millet and about the same amount of sugarcane.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare released these numbers.
Farmers are hoping the rains improve so their crops can grow well.
Total area sown under kharif crops is estimated at 967.92 lakh hectares as of August 7, down from 985.89 lakh hectares in the same period last year.
Rice coverage has fallen to 344.78 lakh hectares from 360.67 lakh hectares a year earlier.
The lower sowing is attributed to a deficient monsoon linked to the adverse impact of the El Nino weather pattern.
Pulses such as urad and moong are marginally lower at 103.78 lakh hectares versus 105.73 lakh hectares, as they need less water.
Coarse cereals and millets (jowar, bajra, ragi) dropped to 168.50 lakh hectares from 173.21 lakh hectares, while sugarcane is nearly flat at 58.31 lakh hectares.
- Who
- Farmers across India; data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
- What
- The total area sown under kharif crops is estimated at 967.92 lakh hectares, lower than the 985.89 lakh hectares recorded in the same period last year.
- When
- As of August 7, with data released on Tuesday.
- Where
- India (data released in New Delhi).
- Why
- A deficient monsoon caused by the adverse impact of the El Nino weather pattern.
- Total kharif area (as of Aug 7)
- 967.92 lakh hectares
- Total kharif area last year (same period)
- 985.89 lakh hectares
- Rice area
- 344.78 lakh hectares (vs 360.67 lakh hectares last year)
- Pulses area
- 103.78 lakh hectares (vs 105.73 lakh hectares last year)
- Coarse cereals/millets area
- 168.50 lakh hectares (vs 173.21 lakh hectares last year)
- Sugarcane area
- 58.31 lakh hectares (vs 58.62 lakh hectares last year)
- Cause cited
- Deficient monsoon following adverse impact of El Nino
- Data source
- Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare