Total sown area for Kharif crops till today has reduced by 86.21 lakh hactares to around 534 lakh hactare in the country. According to data released by Agricultural Ministry, the area under rice is over 144 lakh hactare against 161 lakh hactare during the corresponding period of last year. Higher area reported in the state of Punjab and Rajasthan and less area mainly reported in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Assam and West Bengal.

The total coverage under pulses so far is over 40 lakh hactare against around 59 lakh hactare. However, higher area of sowing sugarcane is reported in all sugarcane growing States. The total area under oilseed is reduced by about 13 lakh hactare to 109 lakh hactare. The total area of cotton also declined from 92.45 lakh hactate to 83.74 lakh hactare.