The harvest of major Rabi season crops is just a few weeks away. It is time to assess the prospects of major Rabi crops such as wheat, pulses, oilseeds and coarse cereals. The emerging picture is looking far from pretty, characterised by the decline in planted area and the impact of unfriendly weather.

Earlier, the southwest monsoon extended beyond September 2024 across many parts of the country. It left good soil moisture and created ideal conditions for sowing of Rabi crops. However, winter rains in December and January were inadequate.

In February, temperatures have risen gradually. In the first half of this month, large parts of the country, especially the eastern and central regions, faced moisture stress. Rainfall data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) clearly shows dry conditions.

More importantly, as compared with the 2024 Rabi, the acreage for wheat, pulses and oilseeds has actually declined this season, that is, Rabi 2025. The last planted area report from the Union Ministry of Agriculture was on February 4. There has been no update since then.

Wheat: As the most important Rabi crop, wheat is critical for the country’s food security. In Rabi 2024, the final area was 34.2 million hectares as per government........

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