The record
Written from the 1 report below. Nothing here is unsourced.
- India's kharif sowing for the 2025 season remains behind last year, with 78.7 million hectares planted as of 24 July against 82.6 million hectares a year earlier, according to agriculture ministry data.
- Key crops such as paddy, pulses, oilseeds, coarse cereals and cotton are all below last year's levels, though the gap has narrowed in recent weeks as monsoon rainfall improved in several regions.
- The lag is significant because cumulative rainfall from 1 June to 22 July was 19% below normal, with the driest June in over a decade, and uneven precipitation continues to hurt planting in eastern and central India.
- Experts say the pace of recovery varies across crops and that crop establishment quality in the coming weeks will matter more for productivity than acreage alone.
What to watch next
- Whether monsoon rainfall intensifies in coming weeks to close the sowing gap, especially in eastern and central India
- IMD's forecast of below-normal July rainfall (under 94% of LPA) and its impact on pulses and coarse cereals that are lagging most
- Quality of crop establishment over the next few weeks, which experts say will determine productivity
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Named India · Dhanuka Agritech Ltd · India Meteorological Department · Ministry of Agriculture · M.K Dhanuka · Vijay C. Roy
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