Wheat sowing in India has begun slowly, with acreage reaching just 11,000 hectare as of Oct 23, compared with 27,000 hectare during the corresponding period last year, according to Agriculture Ministry data cited in a report by PTI.
The decline comes amid concerns over inadequate soil moisture and irrigation availability following a deficient southwest monsoon.
Wheat, a major rabi crop, is generally planted between October and November and harvested during March and April.
The government has set a production target of 121 million tonnes for the 2026-27 crop year, marginally above the previous year's record output of 120.7 million tonnes.
Wheat cultivation covered 336 lakh hectare in 2025-26.
Deficient Monsoon Raises Concerns Over Wheat Sowing
India received 13% below-normal rainfall during the June-September southwest monsoon, according to the Meteorological Department.
Lower rainfall has affected residual soil moisture and reservoir storage, potentially restricting irrigation during the winter cropping season.
Punjab and Rajasthan face particular challenges after recording rainfall deficits of 38% and 22%, respectively.
Both states also reported below-normal reservoir storage at the end of September.
Together, they account for approximately 31% of India's wheat cultivation area.
Experts warned that insufficient irrigation could delay planting and affect crop yields.
Rainfed regions of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Bundelkhand and central India are especially vulnerable because farmers have limited alternatives to monsoon-dependent moisture.
Total Rabi Crop Acreage Declines
The slowdown extends beyond wheat, with several other winter crops recording lower sowing coverage.
Rice acreage stood at 1.02 lakh hectare, compared with 2.13 lakh hectare a year earlier.
Pulses cultivation declined to 3.27 lakh hectare from 4.39 lakh hectare.
Oilseeds registered a sharper reduction, with sowing covering 13.38 lakh hectare against 21.34 lakh hectare previously.
However, coarse cereals recorded an increase, reaching 23,000 hectare compared with 13,000 hectare last year.
Overall, rabi sowing covered 18.02 lakh hectare, down from 28.26 lakh hectare in the corresponding period of 2025.
With planting still in its initial stages, irrigation availability and soil moisture conditions will remain important factors influencing acreage and production prospects.
