Kharif Crop Sowing Area Lags by 15% in Rajasthan

17-Jul-2026 05:02 PM

Jaipur: Located in western India, Rajasthan is the country's leading producer of moong (green gram), bajra (pearl millet), moth bean, cowpea, and guar (cluster bean). It ranks second only to Gujarat in groundnut production and third in soybean production, trailing behind Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Compared to last year, the total sowing area for Kharif crops in Rajasthan dropped by 15%—or 21.87 lakh hectares—falling from 129.41 lakh hectares to 107.54 lakh hectares by July 15 this year. Latest data from the State Agriculture Department reveals a significant decline in the sowing area for paddy, sorghum (jowar), pearl millet (bajra), maize, moong, moth bean, cowpea, tur (pigeon pea), sesame, soybean, cotton, and guar during the current Kharif season up to mid-July; conversely, the sowing area for urad (black gram), groundnut, and castor increased. Sowing of Kharif crops is still underway.

This year, the five-year average area for Kharif crops in the state is estimated at 160.10 lakh hectares, whereas the actual acreage has remained below 108 lakh hectares. If the state receives good monsoon rainfall in the coming period, farmers may have an opportunity to increase the sown area; otherwise, sowing could remain low in some regions. The ideal window for sowing has not yet closed.