India’s Rabi sowing falls nearly 46% behind last year’s pace

India’s winter Rabi crop sowing is significantly behind last year’s pace. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, 3.76 mln hectares had been planted as of October 30, 2026, compared with 6.9 mln hectares at the same time last year. This represents a decline of 3.15 mln hectares, or 45.59%. The largest shortfalls were recorded in wheat, pulses and oilseeds.

Wheat sowing reached just 19 thsd hectares as of the reporting date, compared with 334 thsd hectares a year earlier, representing a decline of 94.22%. Total pulse acreage fell by 51.69% to 945 thsd hectares from 1.96 mln hectares last year. In particular, chickpea sowing declined by 58.91% to 590 thsd hectares, lentil acreage decreased by 48.51% to 110 thsd hectares, and pea sowing fell by 32.71% to 126 thsd hectares.

Oilseed sowing was also significantly behind last year’s pace. As of October 30, the planted area reached 2.1 mln hectares, compared with 3.86 mln hectares a year earlier, a decline of 45.7%. Rapeseed and mustard traditionally account for the largest share of oilseed acreage, with plantings down 46.16% to 2.05 mln hectares. Meanwhile, linseed acreage declined by 82.1%.

Despite the overall slowdown in planting, some oilseed crops showed positive trends. Groundnut acreage increased by 62.12% to 25 thsd hectares, while sunflower sowing rose by 30.41% to 7 thsd hectares. Rice planting, meanwhile, declined by 3.76% to 316 thsd hectares. These figures highlight uneven sowing progress across different crops.

Analysts at Kedia Advisory noted that significant delays in wheat, pulse, rapeseed and mustard sowing could support agricultural commodity prices amid concerns over future production. However, the current figures reflect only the early stage of the Rabi season, and the final impact on crop output will depend on planting progress in the coming weeks. If the delays persist, the risk of lower production of major crops could increase.

Tags: India, sowing