Rabi crop sowing surpasses 632 lakh hectares in 2024-25

The Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare reported that the sowing of Rabi crops for the 2024-25 season has reached 632.27 lakh hectares as of January 14, 2025, slightly exceeding the 631.44 lakh hectares recorded during the same period last year. Below are key highlights from the data:

Crop-Wise Coverage:

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  • Wheat: Area coverage increased to 320 lakh hectares, up from 315.63 lakh hectares last year.
  • Pulses: Covered 139.81 lakh hectares, marginally higher than 139.11 lakh hectares in the previous year.
    • Gram accounted for 96.65 lakh hectares, compared to 95.87 lakh hectares last year.
    • Lentils grew to 17.43 lakh hectares from 17.76 lakh hectares.
    • Other notable contributors include Fieldpea (8.94 lakh hectares) and Kulthi (3.13 lakh hectares).
  • Shri Anna & Coarse Cereals: Area sown remained steady at 53.55 lakh hectares, showing stability compared to 53.37 lakh hectares in 2023-24.
    • Jowar accounted for 23.58 lakh hectares, slightly down from 25.46 lakh hectares.
    • Maize increased to 22.37 lakh hectares from 20.36 lakh hectares.

Oilseeds:

  • Area under oilseeds decreased to 96.82 lakh hectares from 101.80 lakh hectares last year.
    • Rapeseed & Mustard: Coverage dropped to 88.50 lakh hectares from 93.73 lakh hectares.
    • Other contributors include Linseed (2.68 lakh hectares) and Groundnut (3.65 lakh hectares).

Highlights:

  • Barley sowing increased to 6.62 lakh hectares from 6.71 lakh hectares.
  • Ragi remained steady at 0.69 lakh hectares compared to 0.68 lakh hectares last year.
  • Total area under Rabi crops is marginally lower than the normal Rabi area of 635.30 lakh hectares, indicating near-optimal sowing levels.

This robust sowing progress reflects the resilience of India’s agricultural sector, supported by favorable climatic conditions and focused government initiatives to promote higher productivity.