Wheat Sowing Up 17% to 66.23 Lakh Hectare

New Delhi, Nov 17 (PTI) Area under coverage for wheat till November 11 of the ongoing rabi (winter-sown) season rose 17 per cent to 66.23 lakh hectares on better monsoon and an increase in minimum support price, according to the government data.

The wheat acreage stood at 56.55 lakh hectares in the year-ago period.

Rabi sowing season starts from October. Harvesting of rabi crops begins from March-end.

As on November 11, pulses sowing increased to 52.82 lakh hectare from 48.93 lakh hectare, while the area under coverage for paddy grew to 7.44 lakh hectares from 6.82 lakh hectares, according to an official statement on Monday.


Shri anna and coarse cereals acreage, too, increased to 15.53 lakh hectares from 13.50 lakh hectares.

In the non-food grain category, the area under coverage for oilseeds stood at 66.17 lakh hectares till November 11 of the current rabi season as against 62.93 lakh hectares in the year-ago period.

The total rabi crop sowing so far has increased to 208.19 lakh hectares from 188.73 lakh hectares.

Last month, the government announced a 6.59 per cent increase in the minimum support price (MSP) for wheat to Rs 2,585 per quintal for 2026-27 marketing year (April-March). However, the bulk of procurement happens between April-June period.