Wheat Acreage at All-Time High, Pulses and Oilseeds Decline by Amit Gupta, Kedia Advisory
Wheat sowing for the 2024-25 rabi season has reached an all-time high of 320 lakh hectares (lh) as of January 10, surpassing last year's total of 318.33 lh. Despite this, the wheat area expansion is unlikely to continue significantly. Acreage under pulses remains almost flat at 139.81 lh, with minor changes in specific crops like chana and masur. Meanwhile, oilseed acreage has decreased by 4.9%, driven by a shift in farmer preferences towards wheat. The total area under rabi crops has seen a slight increase, reaching 632.27 lh, with paddy acreage also showing positive growth.
Key Highlights
* Wheat acreage hits a record high of 320 lh in 2024-25.
* Pulses acreage remains steady at 139.81 lh as of January 10.
* Oilseeds acreage declines by 4.9%, with mustard area dropping 5.6%.
* Total area under rabi crops increases marginally to 632.27 lh.
* Winter paddy acreage rises by 2.6%, showing positive growth.
The ongoing 2024-25 rabi season has witnessed significant developments, with wheat acreage leading the charge. As of January 10, wheat sowing has reached an all-time high of 320 lakh hectares (lh), surpassing the total acreage of 318.33 lh from last season. This expansion in wheat coverage reflects favorable crop conditions, with no reported pest issues and cool weather benefitting the crop. The government has set a target of 115 million tonnes (mt) for wheat production this year, slightly higher than the 113.29 mt harvested in 2023-24.
However, pulses and oilseeds have seen a decline in acreage. Pulses acreage is almost unchanged at 139.81 lh, with slight reductions in masur sowing. The area under oilseeds, particularly mustard, has decreased by 4.9%, as many farmers have shifted to wheat sowing due to concerns over weather conditions during mid-November.
Other crops like maize and winter paddy have shown positive trends, with maize acreage increasing by nearly 10%. Total acreage under all rabi crops has reached 632.27 lh, marginally higher than the previous season's 631.44 lh.
Finally
Despite the increase in wheat acreage, the decline in pulses and oilseeds poses challenges, especially as India aims to boost self-sufficiency in these sectors.
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