Rabi Crop Sowing Surpasses 536 Lakh Hectares Across India
Strong monsoon and MSP hike drive rabi sowing to record levels, supporting farmer income and food security.
New Delhi, Dec 17: The area sown under rabi crops in the ongoing winter season has surged to 536.76 lakh hectares, marking an increase of 24 lakh hectares compared to 512.76 lakh hectares during the same period last year, according to data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. This rise in sown area is expected to boost production, improve farmers’ incomes, and help stabilize food inflation.
Wheat, Pulses, and Oilseeds Lead Growth
The area under wheat increased by 17.18 lakh hectares to 275.66 lakh hectares from 258.48 lakh hectares last year. Pulses such as urad, lentils (masur), and moong expanded to 117.11 lakh hectares from 115.41 lakh hectares. Coarse cereals like jowar, bajra, and ragi rose slightly to 41.77 lakh hectares, while oilseeds including rapeseed and mustard grew by 2.7 lakh hectares to 89.79 lakh hectares.
Better monsoon rainfall this year facilitated sowing in unirrigated areas, which account for nearly 50% of the country’s farmland, contributing to the overall increase.
MSP Hike to Boost Farmers’ Income
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved higher Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all mandated rabi crops for the 2026-27 marketing season. The highest increase is for safflower at Rs 600 per quintal, followed by lentil (Rs 300), rapeseed & mustard (Rs 250), gram (Rs 225), barley (Rs 170), and wheat (Rs 160).
The revised MSPs are designed to provide remunerative prices to farmers, offering a margin over production costs: 109% for wheat, 93% for rapeseed & mustard, 89% for lentil, 59% for gram, 58% for barley, and 50% for safflower.
Focus on Crop Diversification and Farmer Welfare
The increase in MSP is in line with the Union Budget 2018-19 target of setting MSPs at at least 1.5 times the All India weighted average cost of production, ensuring farmers are incentivized to diversify crops. The cost calculations include all paid out expenses such as labor, seeds, fertilisers, irrigation, machinery, and the imputed value of family labor.
