India’s Kharif crop area stood at 1,086.31 lakh hectares as of September 4, 2026, down 17.69 lakh hectares from the 1,104 lakh hectares recorded during the same period last year. The decline is not the same across crops. Rice, maize, oilseeds and cotton have recorded lower coverage, while pulses have increased.
The latest data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare shows how farmers have shifted planting patterns across states and crops. These changes can affect production, demand for farm inputs and prices after harvest. The numbers also show where farmers have increased cultivation despite lower acreage in several major crops.
Rice coverage stood at 421.82 lakh hectares by September 4, compared with 438.19 lakh hectares during the corresponding period last year. That is a decline of 16.37 lakh hectares. The biggest reductions were reported from Karnataka, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand and Maharashtra.
Karnataka recorded the largest decline at 4.28 lakh hectares, followed by Telangana at 3.61 lakh hectares. Uttar Pradesh reported a decline of 1.84 lakh hectares, while Andhra Pradesh recorded a reduction of 1.91 lakh hectares. Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand also reported lower rice coverage than last year.
The decline does not mean rice cultivation has fallen everywhere. Assam reported an increase of 0.52 lakh hectares and Odisha recorded a 0.29 lakh hectare increase. The national figure reflects these different state-level changes, showing that farmers are responding differently to local conditions and cropping choices.
For rice farmers, the acreage numbers are worth watching because a smaller planted area can affect production if yields do not compensate for the decline. Farmers should also pay attention to rainfall, irrigation availability and crop conditions as the season progresses before judging how the final harvest will compare.
Pulses Move in the Opposite Direction
Pulses were among the crops showing higher coverage. Area under pulses reached 117.13 lakh hectares, compared with 115.30 lakh hectares during the same period last year. This represents an increase of 1.84 lakh hectares, with Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Telangana, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh reporting major increases.
Tur coverage increased by 0.72 lakh hectares and urad increased by 2.68 lakh hectares. Moong was different, with coverage falling by 1.04 lakh hectares. The figures show that the overall rise in pulses was driven by some crops gaining area while others lost acreage.
Uttar Pradesh recorded the largest increase in total pulses coverage at 3.97 lakh hectares. Jharkhand added 0.98 lakh hectares, Telangana 0.90 lakh hectares, Rajasthan 0.57 lakh hectares and Madhya Pradesh 0.38 lakh hectares. In contrast, Maharashtra and Karnataka recorded declines of 2.60 lakh and 2.07 lakh hectares.
This shift is important for farmers because pulses form an important part of crop rotations in several regions. Their shorter duration and suitability to different rainfall conditions can influence planting decisions. The latest figures suggest that farmers in several states have increased their pulse acreage even as some other Kharif crops declined.
Maize and Oilseeds Also Show Lower Coverage
Maize coverage stood at 91.09 lakh hectares on September 4, compared with 94.08 lakh hectares last year. That is a decline of 2.99 lakh hectares. The change comes after maize acreage had expanded strongly in recent years, driven by demand from poultry feed, livestock and the ethanol industry.
Oilseed coverage also fell slightly to 191.99 lakh hectares from 193.06 lakh hectares last year. Soybean area declined by 1.16 lakh hectares and groundnut by 0.83 lakh hectares. Sesame moved in the opposite direction, increasing by 1.44 lakh hectares compared with the same period last year.
The oilseed numbers vary sharply between states. Rajasthan recorded a 2.23 lakh hectare decline and Gujarat a 1.93 lakh hectare decline. Uttar Pradesh increased oilseed coverage by 2.91 lakh hectares, while Madhya Pradesh added 1.14 lakh hectares. This means national figures need to be read alongside state-level changes.
Cotton acreage was also slightly lower. The crop covered 109.17 lakh hectares compared with 109.87 lakh hectares last year. Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab reported lower coverage, while Telangana and Gujarat recorded increases. Such changes can influence regional demand for seed, fertiliser, irrigation and other farm inputs during the season.
What Does the Data Mean for Farmers?
The latest Kharif figures show that farmers are not moving in one direction. Some crops have lost acreage while pulses and a few other crops have gained. These changes can come from local rainfall, irrigation availability, input costs, expected returns and farmers’ assessment of which crops are suitable for their fields.
Farmers should not interpret a national acreage decline as an automatic sign that a crop will become more profitable. Prices depend on production, imports, government procurement, demand and market arrivals. Before changing the crop plan, farmers should consider local prices, water availability and advice from agriculture departments or Krishi Vigyan Kendras.
The latest figures are also not the final production numbers. Area coverage tells us how much land has been planted, but yield and weather conditions will determine the final harvest. Farmers should therefore track crop health and weather conditions through the remaining part of the season rather than relying only on acreage data.
For farmers, the key takeaway is to look beyond the national total. Rice and maize acreage has fallen, while pulses have gained ground. These changes show how planting decisions are shifting across India. The final impact on farmers will depend on yields, market prices and how the crops perform until harvest.
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