Oilseeds, Pulses and Sugarcane also trail last year’s levels, while Jute & Mesta acreage rises marginally

Key Highlights

• Total Kharif crop coverage stood at 1,016.57 lakh hectares as of August 14, 2026, compared with 1,037.52 lakh hectares a year earlier.
• Rice acreage fell by 14.37 lakh hectares year-on-year to 379.07 lakh hectares.
• Pulses acreage was almost stable, down 0.35 lakh hectares.
• Oilseeds coverage declined by 0.89 lakh hectares, while cotton acreage fell by 0.96 lakh hectares.
• Jute & Mesta was the only major crop group to register an increase, rising by 0.11 lakh hectares.

India’s overall Kharif crop sowing area remained below last year’s level as of August 14, 2026, with rice accounting for the largest year-on-year decline, according to data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.

Total area under Kharif crops stood at 1,016.57 lakh hectares, compared with 1,037.52 lakh hectares during the corresponding period in 2025, representing a decline of 20.95 lakh hectares.

The current coverage is also below the 1,134.27 lakh hectares recorded as the final Kharif area in 2025, although sowing is still progressing in several regions.

Rice Leads Decline in Kharif Acreage

Rice, India’s largest Kharif crop by area, recorded coverage of 379.07 lakh hectares, down from 393.44 lakh hectares during the corresponding period last year.

The decline of 14.37 lakh hectares was concentrated in several major rice-producing states. Karnataka reported the largest reduction at 2.86 lakh hectares, followed by Jharkhand (2.26 lakh hectares), Maharashtra (2.25 lakh hectares), Odisha (2.09 lakh hectares), Madhya Pradesh (1.64 lakh hectares) and Telangana (1.49 lakh hectares).

Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar also reported lower rice acreage.

Assam, however, recorded a significant increase of 3.93 lakh hectares, while Uttarakhand also reported higher coverage.

Pulses Nearly Hold Ground

Area under pulses stood at 108.14 lakh hectares, marginally below the 108.49 lakh hectares reported during the same period last year.

Karnataka recorded the largest decline at 4.16 lakh hectares, followed by Maharashtra at 2.70 lakh hectares. Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Bihar also registered reductions.

This was partly offset by higher pulse acreage in Uttar Pradesh, which recorded an increase of 4.25 lakh hectares, followed by Rajasthan (0.93 lakh hectares), Chhattisgarh (0.40 lakh hectares), Andhra Pradesh (0.35 lakh hectares), Telangana (0.34 lakh hectares) and Madhya Pradesh (0.14 lakh hectares).

Among individual pulses, uradbean acreage increased by 2.73 lakh hectares, while arhar and moongbean remained below last year’s levels.

Coarse Cereals Acreage Down 4.17 Lakh Hectares

Coverage under Shree Anna and coarse cereals stood at 172.96 lakh hectares, compared with 177.13 lakh hectares a year earlier, a decline of 4.17 lakh hectares.

Karnataka registered the largest reduction at 7 lakh hectares, followed by Maharashtra at 2.46 lakh hectares.

However, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh recorded substantial increases in acreage.

Within the category, jowar and bajra were above last year’s corresponding levels, while ragi, small millets and maize recorded declines. Maize acreage fell by 3.67 lakh hectares to 88.39 lakh hectares.

Oilseeds Remain Marginally Lower

Oilseed coverage stood at 184.46 lakh hectares, compared with 185.36 lakh hectares last year, marking a decline of 0.89 lakh hectares.

Rajasthan reported the largest reduction at 3.40 lakh hectares, followed by Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

On the positive side, Uttar Pradesh added 3.89 lakh hectares under oilseeds, while Madhya Pradesh recorded an increase of 0.68 lakh hectares.

Groundnut acreage increased by 1.02 lakh hectares, and sesamum acreage rose by 1.63 lakh hectares. Soybean, however, declined by 1.76 lakh hectares, while castor acreage fell by 2.35 lakh hectares.

Cotton Acreage Slips, Sugarcane Nearly Stable

Cotton coverage was reported at 107.30 lakh hectares, down 0.96 lakh hectares from 108.26 lakh hectares during the corresponding period last year.

Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab recorded notable declines, while Telangana reported an increase of 1.25 lakh hectares and Gujarat added 0.64 lakh hectares.

Sugarcane acreage remained relatively stable at 58.31 lakh hectares, compared with 58.62 lakh hectares last year, a decline of 0.31 lakh hectares. Uttar Pradesh and Haryana recorded higher coverage, partly offsetting reductions in Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh.

Jute & Mesta Acreage Records Modest Growth

Jute and Mesta was the only major crop group among those listed to record a year-on-year increase.

The area reached 6.34 lakh hectares, compared with 6.23 lakh hectares during the corresponding period last year. Bihar accounted for much of the increase, adding around 0.11 lakh hectares.

What the Kharif Acreage Trend Means

The lower overall acreage does not necessarily translate into lower agricultural production because final output will depend on crop yields, rainfall distribution, irrigation availability, crop health and weather conditions through the remainder of the season.

The sharp decline in rice acreage is particularly important for the foodgrain supply chain, while changes in oilseed and pulse acreage could influence domestic availability and procurement requirements. At the same time, increased acreage of selected crops in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Rajasthan and Telangana indicates regional shifts in cropping patterns.

Hospitality, Food and Tourism Impact

For the hospitality and food sector, Kharif acreage trends can influence the availability and prices of rice, pulses, maize, edible oils and other key food ingredients later in the year. A sustained reduction in rice and oilseed acreage could potentially put pressure on procurement costs for hotels, restaurants, institutional caterers and food processors if accompanied by weaker yields.

Conversely, stable sugarcane acreage and higher jute acreage could support downstream supply chains, while increased pulse and oilseed cultivation in some states may help diversify regional food production.

Source: Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India, PIB release dated August 17, 2026.