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GS3 · Agriculture

Kharif sowing: rice area up 19.63 lakh ha

1 min readAgriculture
Battle IAS current affairs title card: Kharif sowing: rice area up 19.63 lakh ha (GS3 · Agriculture, 8 September 2025)
Asked by UPSCPrelims 20191 PYQ

UPSC has already asked about this. Read the story with these questions in mind.

What happened

  • As on 5 September 2025, rice was sown on 438.28 lakh ha against 418.66 lakh ha a year earlier, up 19.63 lakh ha [PIB].
  • Pulses covered 116.40 lakh ha (up 1.94 lakh ha); tur was slightly lower at 45.19 lakh ha [PIB].

Background

  • Normal rice area (2019-20 to 2023-24 average) is 403.09 lakh ha [PIB].

Why it matters

  • More paddy means more water use; flat tur area keeps pulses imports in view.

How to use this in Mains

GS-III Agriculture: cropping, MSP, PDS, food processing, land reforms

  1. As per PIB (2025-09-08): as on 5 September 2025, rice was sown on 438.28 lakh ha against 418.66 lakh ha a year earlier, up 19.63 lakh ha.
  2. More paddy means more water use; flat tur area keeps pulses imports in view.
Quotable data point

Pulses covered 116.40 lakh ha (up 1.94 lakh ha); tur was slightly lower at 45.19 lakh ha.

PIB: Kharif area coverage as on 05.09.2025, 8 Sep 2025

Exam angle

UPSC

Prelims: kharif area.

Practice MCQs

Original practice questions (not PYQs).

Practice · UPSC

Rice area as on 5 Sep 2025

Answer (c) & explanation

PIB.

Go deeper

ExplainerSelf-Reliance in Pulses and Edible Oils: Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses (2025-31), National Mission on Edible Oils (Oilseeds and Oil Palm), Import Dependence and the Way Forward (UPSC Notes + PYQs)ExplainerPM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana: Convergence of 36 Schemes in 100 Low-Productivity Districts, Selection Criteria, Monitoring and the Aspirational Districts Model (UPSC Notes + PYQs)

Official source: PIB: Kharif area coverage as on 05.09.2025, 8 Sep 2025

facts from cited sources only; faculty review pending