Summer crop sowing reaches 81.60 lakh hectares, 2.60 lakh hectares more than last year
Summer crops had been sown on 81.60 lakh hectares as on 1 May 2026, against 79.00 lakh hectares a year earlier, the Agriculture Ministry said on 4 May 2026, with coarse cereals and oilseeds up and rice down.
Summary
The area under summer crops reached 81.60 lakh hectares as on 1 May 2026, 2.60 lakh hectares more than the 79.00 lakh hectares in the corresponding period of 2025, according to data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on 4 May 2026. Shree Anna cum coarse cereals rose by 1.77 lakh hectares to 16.01 lakh hectares, led by maize at 10.00 lakh hectares; oilseeds rose by 1.47 lakh hectares to 11.04 lakh hectares and pulses by 0.73 lakh hectares to 23.49 lakh hectares. Rice fell by 1.36 lakh hectares to 31.05 lakh hectares.
Key facts
- Total (1 May 2026)
- 81.60 lakh ha vs 79.00 lakh ha last year
- Rice
- 31.05 lakh ha (−1.36)
- Pulses
- 23.49 lakh ha (+0.73)
- Shree Anna / coarse cereals
- 16.01 lakh ha (+1.77); maize 10.00
- Oilseeds
- 11.04 lakh ha (+1.47)
Practice MCQs 2 questions
As on 1 May 2026, the total area sown under summer crops in India was about:
Show answer
Correct answer: C — 81.60 lakh hectares
Summer crops covered 81.60 lakh hectares as on 1 May 2026, against 79.00 lakh hectares in the same period of 2025.
Which crop group recorded the largest increase in summer sowing area over the corresponding period of 2025, as on 1 May 2026?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — Shree Anna cum coarse cereals
Shree Anna cum coarse cereals rose by 1.77 lakh hectares, ahead of oilseeds (+1.47) and pulses (+0.73); rice fell by 1.36 lakh hectares.