New Delhi is witnessing a robust start to the rabi season as the total sowing area for winter crops has soared beyond 650 lakh hectares. Official data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare reveals that as of January 16, the coverage stands at 652.33 lakh hectares, marking a significant jump of 20.88 lakh hectares from the previous year’s 631.45 lakh hectares at this time.
This impressive growth signals promising prospects for food production in India. Experts attribute the expansion to favorable monsoon rains last year, which replenished soil moisture even in rain-scarce regions, enabling farmers to cultivate larger areas. The ministry highlighted that higher acreage will likely boost output, enhancing farmers’ incomes and helping stabilize prices of essential food items amid ongoing inflationary pressures.
Breaking down the figures, wheat sowing leads the pack with 334.17 lakh hectares under cultivation, up 6.13 lakh hectares from last year’s 328.04 lakh hectares. Pulses like urad, masoor, chana, and moong have seen their area expand to 137 lakh hectares, a rise of 3.82 lakh hectares over the 133.18 lakh hectares recorded previously.
Coarse cereals including jowar, bajra, and ragi now cover 58.72 lakh hectares, reflecting a 2.79 lakh hectare increase from 55.93 lakh hectares. Oilseeds such as mustard and rapeseed have also flourished, reaching 96.86 lakh hectares with an addition of 3.53 lakh hectares compared to 93.33 lakh hectares last season.
Government incentives have played a pivotal role in encouraging this widespread sowing. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved hikes in Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for key rabi crops for the 2026-27 marketing season back in October 2023. These timely announcements, made well ahead of the sowing period, allow farmers to plan confidently, knowing they have assured remunerative prices.
Notable MSP increases include Rs 600 per quintal for kusum, Rs 300 for masoor, Rs 250 for rapeseed and mustard, Rs 225 for chana, Rs 170 for barley, and Rs 160 for wheat. This aligns with the 2018-19 Union Budget commitment to set MSP at least 1.5 times the all-India weighted average cost of production, ensuring fair returns for growers.
As the rabi campaign progresses, these developments underscore India’s agricultural resilience. With expanded sowing and supportive policies, the country is poised for a bountiful harvest that could ease food security concerns and support economic stability in the coming months.
