India’s kharif sowing has recorded a major 4.1 per cent year-on-year (YoY) enhance as of July 18, 2025, supported by an above-normal monsoon and improved reservoir ranges throughout the nation, in line with a latest report by Financial institution of Baroda.
The report additional reveals that the full space below kharif crops has reached 708.31 lakh hectares, up from 680.38 lakh hectares throughout the identical interval final 12 months. This enchancment comes on the again of 6 per cent above-average rainfall recorded throughout the present monsoon season because the South-West monsoon progressed steadily throughout key agricultural areas.
Main the expansion are coarse cereals and rice, which noticed sowing enhance by 13.6 per cent and 12.4 per cent respectively. Pulses additionally posted constructive features at 2.3 per cent, pushed largely by moong cultivation. Nonetheless, oilseeds and cotton witnessed setbacks, with sowing down by 3.7 per cent and three.4 per cent respectively.
Agricultural economists anticipate this momentum in kharif sowing will ease strain on meals inflation and bolster rural financial sentiment within the months forward.Moreover, rainfall distribution has been largely beneficial.
Central and North-Western India reported rainfall 22 per cent and 29 per cent above regular, respectively. Nonetheless, East and North-East India proceed to face deficits of as much as 23 per cent, affecting states like Bihar, Assam, and Manipur.In parallel, India’s reservoir storage as of July 18 stands at 57 per cent of whole capability, a steep leap from 29 per cent final 12 months.
The Southern area leads with 65 per cent storage, adopted by Western (59 per cent) and Central (54 per cent) areas, indicating higher water availability for irrigation within the coming weeks.
With the India Meteorological Division (IMD) forecasting continued impartial ENSO and IOD situations, additional rainfall is predicted in North-West India over the following two weeks, which can assist bridge sowing gaps in lagging areas.
