While the soil moisture in most of the major chickpea-producing states is at a sufficient level and weather conditions are favorable, the government anticipates a decline in the area under chickpea cultivation. The reason behind this concern is that traditionally, whenever there has been sufficient moisture in the soil, farmers have given priority to sowing wheat. This year, the situation is similar. According to senior official sources, the government is closely monitoring the sowing of all rabi crops, including wheat, chickpea, and mustard. So far, the area under chickpea cultivation has been ahead of last year’s figures, but wheat sowing is progressing at a faster pace. In the coming weeks, the pace of chickpea sowing is likely to slow down, while wheat sowing is expected to show good progress. However, a sharp decline in the area under chickpeas is not expected, as its minimum support price (MSP) has been significantly increased, and the government is also ready to purchase the crop. Over the last two years, chickpea growers have been receiving better prices for their pulses. This suggests that the total area under chickpeas may be close to last year’s levels. According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, India’s chickpea production surged to a record 13.54 million tonnes in the 2021-22 season. However, since then, production has been declining, primarily due to a reduction in the sowing area and unfavorable weather conditions. Chickpea production dropped to 12.27 million tonnes in the 2022-23 season, and further decreased to 11.04 million tonnes in the 2023-24 season. For the 2024-25 season, the government has estimated a production of 11.34 million tonnes, slightly higher than the previous season’s output.