India’s kharif sowing area reached 1096.49 lakh hectares as of September 11, 2026, but remained 16.05 lakh hectares below the comparable level last year. Rice continues to explain most of that national gap: paddy acreage stood at 426.81 lakh hectares against 443.78 lakh hectares a year earlier, a difference of 16.97 lakh hectares. Pulses moved in the opposite direction, reaching 118.46 lakh hectares compared with 116.79 lakh hectares last year.
Current answer: India’s kharif area is still below last year’s comparable level even though sowing continued to increase from the previous week. Rice remains the main acreage drag, while pulses and Shri Anna/coarse cereals are above last year. These figures describe area sown only; they do not by themselves prove lower production, lower yield, crop shortage or higher market prices.
Kharif sowing 2026: what is the latest total area?
Agriculture Ministry data reported for September 11 place total kharif coverage at 1096.49 lakh hectares. The comparable year-ago area was 1112.54 lakh hectares, leaving the current season 16.05 lakh hectares lower.
The total nevertheless increased from 1086.31 lakh hectares on September 4, showing that sowing continued to progress week over week while the year-on-year deficit narrowed slightly.
Which major kharif crops are ahead or behind last year?
| Crop group | 2026 area | Comparable 2025 area | Year-on-year difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total kharif | 1096.49 lakh ha | 1112.54 lakh ha | -16.05 lakh ha |
| Rice | 426.81 lakh ha | 443.78 lakh ha | -16.97 lakh ha |
| Pulses | 118.46 lakh ha | 116.79 lakh ha | +1.67 lakh ha |
| Shri Anna / coarse cereals | 183.17 lakh ha | 182.48 lakh ha | +0.69 lakh ha |
| Oilseeds | 193.90 lakh ha | 194.07 lakh ha | -0.17 lakh ha |
| Cotton | 109.34 lakh ha | 110.31 lakh ha | -0.97 lakh ha |
| Sugarcane | 58.47 lakh ha | 58.87 lakh ha | -0.40 lakh ha |
Why is total kharif acreage still below last year?
Rice remains the dominant reason. Paddy acreage is 16.97 lakh hectares below the comparable year-ago level, which is slightly larger than the total national kharif deficit because gains in pulses and coarse cereals offset part of the rice shortfall.
Current reporting based on Agriculture Ministry data identifies lower paddy acreage in several states, including Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
This does not mean every rice-growing district is behind, and it does not establish that final rice production will fall by the same proportion.
Which crop groups are above last year?
Total pulses are 1.67 lakh hectares above the comparable year-ago level, at 118.46 lakh hectares.
Shri Anna and coarse cereals are also slightly higher, at 183.17 lakh hectares compared with 182.48 lakh hectares last year.
Which major crop groups remain below last year?
Besides rice, the September 11 data show smaller year-on-year deficits in oilseeds, cotton and sugarcane.
- Oilseeds: 193.90 lakh hectares, down 0.17 lakh hectares.
- Cotton: 109.34 lakh hectares, down 0.97 lakh hectares.
- Sugarcane: 58.47 lakh hectares, down 0.40 lakh hectares.
If you are checking current sowing progress: use the September 11 crop-area state as the latest reported national acreage picture.
If you are trying to estimate production: acreage alone is not enough. Yield, rainfall, crop condition, pest pressure, irrigation and later official production estimates still matter.
If you are trying to predict prices: this acreage report alone does not establish future mandi, wholesale or retail price direction.
Does lower rice acreage mean lower rice production?
Not automatically. Area sown is only one component of crop output. Final production also depends on yield, rainfall distribution, irrigation, crop health, pest and disease pressure and weather during later growth stages.
The current data support the narrower conclusion that reported rice acreage is below the comparable level last year. They do not establish the final 2026 rice crop size.
Does the acreage gap mean crop prices will rise?
No price direction is established by acreage alone. Commodity prices can depend on final production, stocks, procurement, imports and exports, demand, weather, global prices and government policy.
A smaller sowing area can be relevant to supply expectations, but it should not be treated as proof of shortage or inflation without additional evidence.
How did the picture change from September 4?
Total kharif acreage increased from 1086.31 lakh hectares on September 4 to 1096.49 lakh hectares on September 11.
Rice increased from 421.82 lakh hectares to 426.81 lakh hectares in absolute area, while pulses increased from 117.13 lakh hectares to 118.46 lakh hectares.
The overall year-on-year national deficit narrowed from 17.69 lakh hectares to 16.05 lakh hectares, but rice remains the main crop behind the gap.
What remains unresolved?
- Final 2026 kharif acreage.
- Final crop yields and production.
- Procurement volumes.
- Crop-specific price effects.
- Later weather effects on crop condition.
- Whether the rice acreage gap persists through the final sowing state.
Verification note: ThePulseSignal reviewed the Ministry of Agriculture’s official September 4 crop-area release and current September 11 reporting based on Agriculture Ministry data. The current figures were reconciled crop by crop and compared with the September 4 state. Acreage remains separate from production, yield and price conclusions.
Last verified: September 15, 2026.
