Cereals are leading the sowing surge, with paddy registering a 7.6% rise in acreage, reaching 420.41 lh, up from 390.80 lh last year. Maize has also shown impressive growth, with sowing up 11.7% to 93.34 lh. However, other coarse cereals such as jowar, bajra, and ragi have seen little change in area. Mixed Trends in Pulses Pulses have shown a mixed performance. Urad (black gram) acreage grew by 6.9%, Moong (green gram) rose 1.3%, while Arhar (pigeon pea) declined by 1.8%. Oilseeds and Cotton Under Pressure On the downside, oilseed crops have seen a contraction, with total acreage down 2.8% to 182.38 lh. Soybean planting dropped 3.8%, Groundnut area fell 2.7%, and sunflower saw a steep 9% decline. Cotton sowing has also dipped by 2.6%, covering 108.47 lh compared to last year, raising concerns for the fiber sector ahead of the harvest season. Sugarcane and Jute Sowing Completed Sowing of sugarcane and jute has been completed successfully. Sugarcane covers 57.31 lh, while jute acreage stands at 5.54 lh. Outlook and Government Monitoring While total sowing figures are encouraging, the recent slowdown in weekly sowing momentum and the lag in key crops like oilseeds and cotton have prompted the government to closely monitor yield outcomes. Uneven performance across crops could influence both supply trends and future price movements. Highlights: Kharif sowing at 1,073.98 lh—98% of normal, 4% higher YoY Paddy up 7.6%, maize up 11.7% Oilseeds down 2.8%, cotton down 2.6% Pulses show mixed trends; urad and moong up, arhar down Sugarcane and jute sowing completed With sowing nearing completion, kharif 2025 shows promise led by cereals, while the underperformance in oilseeds and cotton remains a key area of concern. Yield outcomes and price trends will depend heavily on weather stability and policy support in the coming weeks.