Wheat sowing lags at 11,000 ha amid deficient monsoon, irrigation concerns

Business Standard · 27/10/2026, 4:10:35 am

Wheat sowing has just commenced in a few states, with coverage at 11,000 hectare so far, against 27,000 hectare in the year-ago period, amid a deficient southwest monsoon, according to Agriculture Ministry data. "Wheat sowing has just commenced in a few states," the ministry said while releasing the sowing data as of October 23. Wheat, a major rabi crop, is generally sown in October-November and harvested in March-April. The crop was sown in 336 lakh hectare in the 2025-26 crop year (July-June). The ministry has set a wheat production target of 121 million tonnes for the 2026-27 crop year, following a record output of 120.7 million tonnes in the previous year. The southwest monsoon (June-September) was 13 per cent deficient as per the Met Department. A weak monsoon leaves less residual soil moisture and lower water levels in reservoirs and canals at the start of the rabi season. Since wheat needs several rounds of irrigation after sowing, poor rains can delay planting, reduce acre