Coarse cereals, pulses and oilseeds expand year-on-year, while rice acreage declines marginally as sowing progresses as on 22 May 2026

The area under summer crops in India increased to 86.02 lakh hectares in 2026, compared with 83.50 lakh hectares in the corresponding period last year, reflecting a net expansion of 2.52 lakh hectares year-on-year, according to official sowing progress data.

Rice acreage declined marginally to 31.05 lakh hectares in 2026, compared with 32.42 lakh hectares a year earlier, and below the final summer area of 33.28 lakh hectares in 2025, while remaining close to the normal summer area of 31.49 lakh hectares.

Pulses showed a strong increase, with total acreage rising to 27.91 lakh hectares, compared with 27.26 lakh hectares in the same period last year and 27.07 lakh hectares in final summer 2025. Within pulses, greengram area stood at 23.01 lakh hectares, compared with 23.49 lakh hectares last year, while blackgram increased sharply to 4.60 lakh hectares, compared with 3.58 lakh hectares last year. Other pulses rose to 0.30 lakh hectares, compared with 0.19 lakh hectares in the corresponding period last year.

Shree Anna (coarse cereals) and maize recorded significant expansion, with total area rising to 16.01 lakh hectares, compared with 14.25 lakh hectares in the same period last year and 14.06 lakh hectares in final summer 2025. Maize alone increased to 10.00 lakh hectares, compared with 8.50 lakh hectares last year, while bajra rose to 5.40 lakh hectares, jowar to 0.37 lakh hectares, ragi to 0.22 lakh hectares, and small millets to 0.03 lakh hectares.

Oilseeds also expanded, with total acreage reaching 11.04 lakh hectares, compared with 9.58 lakh hectares in the corresponding period last year and 9.51 lakh hectares in final summer 2025. Groundnut rose to 5.51 lakh hectares, compared with 4.20 lakh hectares last year, while sesame stood at 5.07 lakh hectares, sunflower at 0.39 lakh hectares, and other oilseeds at 0.07 lakh hectares.

Overall, the total summer crop area of 86.02 lakh hectares in 2026 compares with 83.50 lakh hectares in the corresponding period of 2025, 83.92 lakh hectares in final summer 2025, and a normal summer area of 75.37 lakh hectares, indicating sustained expansion in summer sowing activity led by pulses, maize and oilseed segments.