The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has released weekly data on crop sowing across India for the kharif season as of 28 August 2026. The report tracks how much land farmers have brought under cultivation for major crops compared to the same period last year. The figures show mixed trends, with some crops gaining area while others have seen farmers reduce their plantings.
Key Figures from the Latest Sowing Report
As of late August 2026, farmers had sown crops across 1071.10 lakh hectares during kharif, down from 1090.01 lakh hectares in the corresponding period of 2025.
- Rice: Area sown stood at 414.10 lakh hectares, a decline of 14.36 lakh hectares. Major drops occurred in Karnataka (3.61 lakh ha), Telangana (3.29 lakh ha), Jharkhand (1.82 lakh ha) and Madhya Pradesh (1.75 lakh ha). Assam recorded an increase of 1.21 lakh hectares.
- Pulses: Coverage rose to 115.05 lakh hectares, an increase of 1.39 lakh hectares. Uttar Pradesh led growth with an addition of 3.97 lakh hectares, while Maharashtra and Karnataka saw reductions of 2.61 and 2.34 lakh hectares respectively.
- Shri Anna and Coarse Cereals: Area fell to 177.90 lakh hectares, down 4.21 lakh hectares. Karnataka reported the steepest decline at 7.16 lakh hectares, though Rajasthan compensated with an increase of 2.75 lakh hectares.
- Oilseeds: Sown area decreased marginally to 190.45 lakh hectares, down 1.00 lakh hectares. Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh registered gains of 2.91 and 1.14 lakh hectares, offsetting losses in Rajasthan (2.23 lakh ha) and Gujarat (1.90 lakh ha).
- Cotton: Coverage was 108.80 lakh hectares, down slightly from 109.23 lakh hectares. Telangana showed a gain of 1.32 lakh hectares while Rajasthan and Haryana reported declines.
- Sugarcane, Jute and Mesta: These crops showed minimal changes, with sugarcane at 58.46 lakh hectares and jute-mesta at 6.34 lakh hectares.
What This Means for You
These numbers indicate that Indian farmers are adjusting their crop choices based on market conditions and regional factors. The decline in rice and cereals but increase in pulses suggests farmers may be responding to price signals and demand. If you depend on agricultural income or food prices, regional variations matter: some states are planting less while others are expanding, which will influence local availability and costs in coming months.