India's Winter Crop Sowing Shows Strong Growth in 2025-26 Season
India's rabi or winter crop sowing for the 2025-26 agricultural season has recorded a significant increase. According to the latest data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, the sown area reached 64.42 million hectares as of January 9. This represents a substantial rise of more than 1.76 million hectares compared to previous figures.
The current sowing area is 2.8% higher than the same period last year. It also exceeds the season's average coverage of 63.78 million hectares. Agricultural officials note that while the sowing window remains open until mid-January, the higher acreage already reflects positive conditions for farmers.
Key Drivers Behind the Sowing Expansion
The expansion in sown area has been largely supported by adequate soil moisture availability. This favorable condition stems from an above-normal monsoon season that has benefited agricultural regions across the country. The abundant rainfall has helped fill major water reservoirs and recharge groundwater tables, creating optimal conditions for winter crop cultivation.
The breakdown of crop-wise acreage shows impressive gains across multiple categories:
- Wheat coverage increased by 613,000 hectares, reaching a total of 33.42 million hectares
- Rice area expanded by 222,000 hectares, totaling 2.17 million hectares
- Pulses saw an overall increase of 374,000 hectares, driven mainly by a sharp rise in gram cultivation, bringing the total to 13.64 million hectares
- Oilseeds acreage, led by rapeseed and mustard, expanded by 353,000 hectares to reach 9.68 million hectares
Weather Concerns for the Coming Months
Despite the current positive trends, the India Meteorological Department has issued a cautionary forecast for the winter season. Rainfall during January to March 2026 is expected to be below normal, potentially dropping to less than 88% of the long-period average.
The long-period average for rainfall across India during this period, based on data from 1971 to 2020, stands at about 69.7 mm. The IMD predicts below-normal seasonal rainfall across most parts of Northwest India, Northeast India, and Peninsular India.
Specifically, Northwest India regions including Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Ladakh, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh are likely to experience rainfall below 86% of the long-period average during the January-March 2026 period.
Expert Assessment of Potential Impact
Agriculture scientists have provided reassuring perspectives regarding the potential impact of reduced rainfall. Dr. Ratan Tiwari, Director of ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research in Karnal, emphasized that rabi crops are typically well-irrigated.
"If crops receive adequate irrigation, deficient rainfall is unlikely to have a significant impact," Dr. Tiwari stated. "This is particularly true for the northwestern region, with the possible exception of Himachal Pradesh where conditions might differ."
The current sowing progress indicates a strong start to the 2025-26 rabi season, with farmers taking advantage of favorable soil conditions created by the recent monsoon. While weather forecasts suggest potential challenges ahead, the established irrigation infrastructure for winter crops provides a buffer against rainfall deficiencies in most agricultural regions.
