Deficient monsoon slows rabi sowing, wheat sowing yet to pick up pace

Sowing of rabi crops, including wheat, has fallen sharply behind last year's pace, with the area covered down 46 per cent at 37.56 lakh hectare as of October 30, compared to 69.02 lakh hectare in the same period a year ago, according to data released by the Union Agriculture Ministry. Wheat, the principal rabi crop, was sown over just 19,000 hectare, against 3.34 lakh hectare last year, a shortfall attributed to insufficient soil moisture. The crop is usually sown in October-November and harvested in March-April. In the 2025-26 crop year (July-June), wheat was planted on 336 lakh hectare. According to the weekly data, area under pulses stood at 9.45 lakh hectare, down from 19.56 lakh hectare. Gram acreage fell to 5.90 lakh hectare from 14.35 lakh hectare. Oilseeds were sown over 20.97 lakh hectare, compared to 38.62 lakh hectare a year ago. Within this, rapeseed and mustard covered 20.50 lakh hectare, against 38.07 lakh hectare. Coarse cereals were sown over 3.78 lakh hectare, ..