Rabi sowing expands by 20.88 lakh hectares this season

India’s rabi crop sowing has picked up strongly in the ongoing winter season, raising hopes of better farm output and stable food prices. According to data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on Monday, the total area sown under rabi crops has increased by 20.88 lakh hectares to 652.33 lakh hectares as on January 16 this year. In the same period last year, the sown area stood at 631.45 lakh hectares, IANS reported.

Officials said the higher sowing is likely to lead to increased production. Better output can help raise farmers’ incomes and also play a key role in keeping food inflation under control in the coming months.

Why has the Rabi crop area increased this season?

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The main reason behind the rise in rabi sowing is improved monsoon rainfall. Good rains have helped farmers sow their crops easily, especially in the non-irrigated regions. These rain-fed regions account for close to 50 per cent of India’s total farmland.

MSPs were declared well ahead of the sowing season, allowing farmers to plan their crops carefully and choose options that could give them better returns.

Increase in wheat sowing this year

Wheat, the main rabi crop, has recorded an increase in the area sown this season. According to official data, the current economic season has seen a 6.13 lakh hectares increase in the wheat-growing area to 334.17 lakh hectares in total. In the last season at this time, wheat was planted on 328.04 lakh hectares.

The greater area of wheat sowing is considered a good sign for the food supply because wheat is the chief food crop and it has a significant impact on the food prices management.

What is the trend in pulses, oilseeds and millets?

Pulses have also recorded healthy growth this season. The area under pulses such as urd, lentils (masur), gram and moong has risen by 3.82 lakh hectares to 137 lakh hectares. Last year, pulses covered 133.18 lakh hectares during the same period.

Oilseeds like rapeseed and mustard have seen an increase of 3.53 lakh hectares. The total area under oilseeds now stands at 96.86 lakh hectares, compared with 93.33 lakh hectares a year ago.

Coarse cereals or millets, including jowar, bajra and ragi, have also gained ground. Their sown area has increased by 2.79 lakh hectares to 58.72 lakh hectares, up from 55.93 lakh hectares in the same period last year.

What MSP hikes were announced for Rabi crops?

To support farmers, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved an increase in MSP for all mandated rabi crops for the 2026–27 marketing season on October 1 last year. The highest MSP hike was announced for safflower at Rs 600 per quintal, followed by lentil (masur) at Rs 300 per quintal.

For rapeseed and mustard, gram, barley and wheat, the MSP increase is Rs 250 per quintal, Rs 225 per quintal, Rs 170 per quintal and Rs 160 per quintal, respectively.

How will higher MSP and sowing impact farmers and prices?

The MSP hikes are in line with the Union Budget 2018–19 decision to fix MSP at least 1.5 times the all-India weighted average cost of production. The expected margin over production cost is 109 per cent for wheat, 93 per cent for rapeseed and mustard, 89 per cent for lentil, 59 per cent for gram, 58 per cent for barley and 50 per cent for safflower.

The cost of production includes expenses on labour, seeds, fertilisers, irrigation, machinery, fuel, interest on working capital and the value of family labour. Officials said higher MSPs will ensure fair prices for farmers, encourage crop diversification and support stable food prices.