Gujarat Kharif Sowing Reaches 70% of Normal Average; Cotton and Groundnut Lead

Gandhinagar: Following widespread rainfall during the ongoing Kharif season-2026, sowing activity has gathered pace across Gujarat. According to the Agriculture Department, farmers have so far sown crops on 59.26 lakh hectares, covering about 70% of the state’s normal Kharif sowing area. Cotton and groundnut, the two main pillars of Gujarat’s agricultural economy, together account for over 63% of the total cultivated area.

Cotton has been sown on the largest area, covering nearly 20 lakh hectares, followed by groundnut with more than 17.50 lakh hectares. The figures indicate that, as in previous years, farmers continue to prefer cash crops and oilseeds.

Soybean cultivation has also witnessed a sharp rise this Kharif season. Nearly 99% of the normal soybean area, or 2.79 lakh hectares, has already been sown. Compared to the normal sowing area, groundnut has reached 91%, maize 90%, urad 86%, and cotton 84%.

The area under pulses has also increased significantly. During the corresponding period last year, pulses were sown on 2.52 lakh hectares, while this year the figure has risen to 2.85 lakh hectares, or 68% of the normal sowing area. Among pulse crops, tur has been sown on 1.94 lakh hectares (76% of the normal area), followed by urad on 70,772 hectares (86%). Moong has so far been sown on 11,900 hectares, accounting for 21% of its normal sowing area.

Cereal crops have been sown on a total of 8.39 lakh hectares, representing 61% of the normal area. Paddy leads with 4.63 lakh hectares, followed by maize with 2.54 lakh hectares. As paddy is largely a transplanted crop, its cultivation area is expected to increase further in the coming weeks. Sorghum has been sown on 10,301 hectares this year, compared to 4,319 hectares during the same period last year.

Among oilseed crops, castor (divela) has been sown on 52,655 hectares, while sesame has covered 7,597 hectares. Since castor is mainly sown during August, its cultivated area is expected to rise significantly over the next two weeks.

Among other crops, fodder has been sown on 5.21 lakh hectares, or 51% of the normal area. Vegetable crops have covered 1.71 lakh hectares (64%), while bajra has been sown on 1.06 lakh hectares, accounting for 60% of the normal sowing area. DeshGujarat