Rabi Crops Sowing in India Increases 4.4% Led by Wheat

According to data from the Union Farm Ministry, farmers in India had planted rabi crops on 620.62 lakh hectares as of Friday, a 4.4% increase over the previous cropping season. The total acreage was 594.62 lakh hectares during the same period last year.

Crop area is increasing across the board, with wheat leading the way. Wheat area increased by 9.65 lakh hectares from 302.61 to 312.26 lakh hectares, accounting for 25.99 lakh hectares of the total rabi crop increase of 25.99 lakh hectares.

Though rabi crop sowing is still ongoing, the area brought under wheat this year (312.26) until 23-12-2022 is greater than the normal rabi sown area (304.47) and the total sown area of last year (304.70).

According to the agriculture ministry, the increase in wheat area is reassuring in light of the global wheat availability crisis caused by the Russia-Ukraine war and India's own food security. Wheat production is also expected to be at an all-time high this year.

Rapeseed and mustard contributed the most to the overall increase in the oilseed area during the Rabi season.

Mustard area increased by 7.32 lakh hectares between 2021-22 and 2022-23, from 85.35 lakh hectares to 92.67 lakh hectares. Rapeseed and mustard alone accounted for 7.32 lakh hectares of the 8.20 lakh hectares increase in area under oilseeds.

"The implementation of the Special Mustard Mission over the last two years has largely contributed to the renewed interest of farmers in mustard cultivation," the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare said in a statement on Friday.

According to the ministry, timely supply of quality seeds, among other interventions taken to increase agricultural production and productivity, have contributed to the large increase in area under rabi crops this year.