2024 Kharif Season Crop Analysis: Soybean, Paddy, Cotton, and More – Full Breakdown
23 October 2024, New Delhi: The Kharif season is almost at completion in India with major crops such as soybean, paddy, pulses, groundnut, sugarcane, and cotton being cultivated extensively in different regions. A detailed analysis on the coverage of these crops shows progress patterns, regional performance, and significant figures for 2024.
Paddy Cultivation
Paddy remains the principal Kharif crop in India, with cultivation spread across multiple states. About 414.50 lakh hectares have been sown under paddy, showing a slight increase compared to 404.50 lakh hectares during the same period last year.
- Top Contributing States:
- Uttar Pradesh: Major contributor to paddy cultivation with significant coverage with 62.6 lakh hectares
- Bihar, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, and Assam: These states are also leading contributors to the national paddy output.
- Punjab and Haryana: Key states in paddy procurement for the central pool.
This increase in paddy sowing reflects the ongoing government support through minimum support prices (MSP) and other state-level incentives, ensuring consistent productivity despite challenges like uneven rainfall in some regions.
Soybean Coverage
Soybean cultivation, crucial for India’s oilseed sector, has been extensive during this Kharif season. As of the latest figures, about 126.90 lakh hectares have been covered, marginally higher than the 123.85 lakh hectares recorded last year. Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra remain the largest soybean-producing states.
- Madhya Pradesh: Leading the nation in soybean production with a vast sowing area of 53.88 lakh hectares. The state has recorded significant progress, driven by favorable weather conditions and farmer incentives.
- Maharashtra: Another top soybean producer, benefiting from adequate monsoons and government support for oilseed crops.
Pulses
Pulses are a significant part of the Kharif crop spectrum, especially with the rising demand for nutritional security. A total of 128.10 lakh hectares has been covered under pulses, compared to 119.27 lakh hectares during the same period in 2023, showing robust growth.
- Arhar (Pigeon Pea): The most widely cultivated pulse crop, with 46.50 lakh hectares sown, reflecting a steady increase from last year.
- Moongbean (Green Gram): Another important pulse, recorded a coverage of 35.58 lakh hectares.
- Urdbean (Black Gram): Sown on 30.00 lakh hectares this year, reflecting a stable area compared to previous years.
The increase in pulses area reflects government efforts to ensure higher MSPs and promote the use of quality seeds to improve yield and profitability for farmers.
Groundnut
Groundnut cultivation during the Kharif season has covered 47.85 lakh hectares, showing an increase compared to 43.75 lakh hectares last year. Gujarat continues to be the leading state in groundnut cultivation, followed by Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
- Gujarat: This state dominates the groundnut sector with favorable soil conditions and strong farmer participation with an area coverage of 19.17 lakh hectares.
- Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu: These southern states have also contributed significantly to groundnut production, benefiting from timely rainfall.
Sugarcane
India’s sugarcane cultivation, concentrated in states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, has shown consistent growth. Around 57.68 lakh hectares of sugarcane have been planted, slightly higher than the 57.11 lakh hectares in 2023.
- Uttar Pradesh: Leading the country in sugarcane production, contributing significantly to both domestic consumption and export demands. Uttar Pradesh has covered 29.25 lakh hectares under sugarcane cultivation
- Maharashtra and Karnataka: Following Uttar Pradesh, these states play a crucial role in the sugar sector.
Cotton
Cotton cultivation has seen a slight decline this year, with 112.95 lakh hectares under cultivation, compared to 123.71 lakh hectares in the previous year. Key cotton-growing states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Telangana have reported a dip in acreage, primarily due to erratic monsoon patterns.
- Gujarat and Maharashtra: Both states continue to lead the cotton sector but have faced challenges in sowing due to variable rainfall with an area coverage of 23.66 and 40.86 lakh hectares respectively.
- Telangana and Andhra Pradesh: These southern states have also seen mixed results, with some areas reporting delayed sowing with an area coverage of 17.70 and 3.89 lakh hectares respectively.
Oilseeds
In addition to soybean, other oilseeds such as groundnut, sunflower, sesamum, and niger have shown steady progress. The total area under oilseeds stands at 196.11 lakh hectares, a marginal increase from 190.92 lakh hectares last year.
- Groundnut: As mentioned, has seen positive growth, while sunflower and sesamum have remained stable.
- Niger: Witnessed a slight improvement in coverage this year.
The Kharif season of 2024 has seen positive trends across most major crops, with incremental increases in the sowing area for paddy, pulses, groundnut, and oilseeds. The government’s efforts through MSP, seed distribution schemes, and crop insurance have played a critical role in supporting farmers during this season. However, challenges like erratic monsoons and localized flooding have affected crop coverage in some regions, notably in cotton.
The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare remains optimistic that the Kharif season will yield positive results, contributing significantly to India’s agricultural output and overall food security. As the harvesting season approaches, the focus will shift to ensuring timely procurement and support for farmers, ensuring stable income and sustained productivity.
Progress of Area Coverage Under Kharif Crops
| S. No. | Crop | Normal Area (DES) (2018-19 – 2022-23) | Area Sown 2024 | Area Sown 2023 | Increase(+)/ Decrease(-) over 2023 |
| 1 | Paddy | 401.55 | 414.50 | 404.50 | 10.00 |
| 2 | Pulses | 136.02 | 128.10 | 119.27 | 8.83 |
| a | Arhar | 45.55 | 46.50 | 40.74 | 5.76 |
| b | Urdbean | 36.76 | 30.00 | 32.60 | -2.60 |
| c | Moongbean | 36.99 | 35.58 | 31.49 | 4.09 |
| d | Kulthi* | 1.90 | 0.59 | 0.43 | 0.16 |
| e | Moth bean | 10.32 | 10.53 | 9.42 | 1.11 |
| f | Other pulses | 4.49 | 4.90 | 4.59 | 0.31 |
| 3 | Shree Anna & Coarse Cereals | 181.03 | 193.49 | 186.07 | 7.42 |
| a | Jowar | 16.01 | 16.13 | 14.29 | 1.84 |
| b | Bajra | 72.63 | 70.01 | 70.94 | -0.93 |
| c | Ragi | 10.96 | 12.65 | 10.50 | 2.15 |
| d | Small millets | 4.47 | 6.20 | 5.69 | 0.51 |
| e | Maize | 76.96 | 88.50 | 84.65 | 3.85 |
| 4 | Oilseeds | 190.18 | 196.11 | 190.92 | 5.20 |
| a | Groundnut | 45.28 | 47.85 | 43.75 | 4.10 |
| b | Soybean | 122.95 | 126.90 | 123.85 | 3.05 |
| c | Sunflower | 1.40 | 0.77 | 0.73 | 0.04 |
| d | Sesamum** | 10.26 | 11.39 | 12.24 | -0.85 |
| e | Niger | 1.22 | 0.92 | 0.80 | 0.12 |
| f | Castor | 9.07 | 8.20 | 9.50 | -1.30 |
| g | Other Oilseeds | 0.00 | 0.08 | 0.05 | 0.03 |
| 5 | Sugarcane | 51.15 | 57.68 | 57.11 | 0.57 |
| 6 | Jute & Mesta | 6.74 | 5.74 | 6.67 | -0.93 |
| 7 | Cotton | 129.34 | 112.95 | 123.71 | -10.76 |
| Total | 1096.00 | 1108.57 | 1088.25 | 20.31 |
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