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 to 405.10 lakh hectares.
• Pulses coverage increased by 1.49 lakh hectares to 113.63 lakh hectares.
• Shree Anna and coarse cereals fell by 3.45 lakh hectares, while oilseeds declined marginally by 0.32 lakh hectares.
• Sugarcane and cotton coverage also registered small declines, while jute and mesta acreage rose by 0.10 lakh hectares.

India’s total Kharif crop area under cultivation reached 1,056.70 lakh hectares as of August 21, 2026, according to the latest weekly crop sowing report released by the Government of India. The figure is lower than the 1,072.77 lakh hectares recorded during the corresponding period last year, representing a decline of 16.07 lakh hectares.

The latest sowing data points to a mixed Kharif season, with a notable reduction in rice acreage offsetting gains in pulses and some other crops.

Rice area records biggest decline

Rice coverage stood at 405.10 lakh hectares, compared with 418.29 lakh hectares during the same period last year, marking a decline of 13.19 lakh hectares.

The largest reductions were reported from Karnataka, Telangana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Maharashtra. Karnataka recorded a decline of 3.09 lakh hectares, followed by Telangana at 2.45 lakh hectares and Jharkhand at 1.88 lakh hectares.

In contrast, Assam reported an increase of 2.80 lakh hectares, while West Bengal recorded a rise of 0.36 lakh hectares.

Pulses acreage rises

Pulses emerged as one of the stronger-performing crop categories. Area under pulses increased to 113.63 lakh hectares, up from 112.14 lakh hectares last year.

Uttar Pradesh recorded the largest increase at 3.97 lakh hectares, followed by Telangana, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

Within pulses, urad coverage rose by 2.65 lakh hectares, while tur increased by 0.42 lakh hectares. Moong acreage, however, declined by 1.25 lakh hectares.

Millets and coarse cereals decline

Area under Shree Anna and coarse cereals stood at 176.36 lakh hectares, down 3.45 lakh hectares from 179.81 lakh hectares a year earlier.

Karnataka recorded the largest decline at 6.57 lakh hectares, followed by Maharashtra at 2.53 lakh hectares. Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar reported higher coverage.

Among individual crops, bajra acreage increased by 1.35 lakh hectares and jowar by 0.81 lakh hectares, while ragi and maize recorded declines.

Oilseed acreage remains broadly stable

Oilseed coverage stood at 188.37 lakh hectares, marginally below 188.69 lakh hectares last year.

The decline was primarily linked to lower acreage in Rajasthan and Gujarat. Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, meanwhile, recorded higher oilseed coverage.

Soybean area fell by 1.41 lakh hectares, while groundnut acreage increased by 0.57 lakh hectares and sesamum by 1.42 lakh hectares.

Sugarcane and cotton see marginal declines

Sugarcane acreage stood at 58.44 lakh hectares, compared with 58.87 lakh hectares last year. Bihar, Uttarakhand and Maharashtra were among the states reporting lower coverage, while Uttar Pradesh and Haryana recorded increases.

Cotton area was reported at 108.45 lakh hectares, marginally below 108.73 lakh hectares a year earlier. Rajasthan and Haryana saw significant declines, while Telangana and Gujarat recorded higher acreage.

Jute and mesta was the only major category to register a modest increase apart from pulses, with area rising to 6.34 lakh hectares from 6.23 lakh hectares.

What the Kharif sowing data means for hospitality, food and tourism

For the hospitality and foodservice industry, the crop mix is an important indicator of potential food supply and pricing trends in the months ahead.

The decline in rice acreage could remain a factor to watch for restaurants, hotels, caterers and institutional food buyers, particularly if subsequent production estimates also indicate tighter availability. Rice is a core ingredient across Indian cuisines and a major component of hotel and restaurant menus.

The increase in pulse acreage could provide some support to the availability of dal and other pulse-based ingredients, which are particularly important for Indian hospitality operations and large-scale catering.

The relatively stable oilseed acreage is also significant for foodservice businesses, given the importance of edible oils in commercial kitchens. Meanwhile, changes in sugarcane acreage could have implications further along the food and beverage supply chain, including sugar availability and pricing.

For tourism, the data is less immediate but remains relevant to food inflation, destination operating costs and regional culinary offerings. Hotels and restaurants in major agricultural states may also experience localized changes in procurement costs depending on crop availability and weather conditions.

The latest figures therefore provide an early indication of the agricultural supply environment for the upcoming food and hospitality consumption cycle, although final production will depend on crop yields, monsoon conditions and subsequent harvesting outcomes.