Pulses remain a bright spot with 1.49 lakh hectare increase; oilseeds, sugarcane and cotton record marginal declines Key Highlights Total Kharif crop area stood at 1,056.70 lakh hectares as of August 21, 2026, down from 1,072.77 lakh hectares a year earlier. Rice acreage declined by 13.19 lakh hectares