India’s rice production during the 2025-26 kharif season hit a record high of 124.5 million tonnes, bringing the total foodgrain output to 173.3 million tonnes, up from 169.5 million tonnes a year earlier, as per the Ministry of Agriculture’s first advance estimate.
In its Wednesday’s report, the ministry said a good monsoon this year had resulted in an overall significant crop growth, up 1.4 per cent from the previous year.
However, the output of pulses, oilseeds and cotton may decline, it said.
In the 2024-25 kharif season, rice production stood at 122.8 million tonnes, indicating a “record growth in the production of major kharif crops,” the ministry said in a statement.
Kharif crops are sown from June to July at the onset of the monsoon and harvested in September-October. Rice is the main kharif crop, along with some pulses and oilseeds.
“Excessive rainfall in some areas of the country affected crops, but most areas have benefited significantly from a good monsoon, leading to overall good crop growth,” said Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Agriculture Minister.
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Further crop estimates in 2025-26 include maize production, estimated at 28.3 million tonnes, up from 24.8 million tonnes the previous year, while coarse cereals are pegged at 41.4 million tonnes.
However, pulses production is estimated marginally lower at 7.4 million tonnes versus 7.7 million tonnes a year earlier.
While tur production is pegged at 3.59 million tonnes, slightly down from 3.62 million tonnes previously, urad output is estimated lower at 1.2 million tonnes against 1.34 million tonnes.
Oilseeds output is estimated at 27.56 million tonnes, down from 28.02 million tonnes the previous year. Soybean production is also pegged lower at 14.26 million tonnes versus 15.26 million tonnes.
Cotton output is also pegged lower at 29.21 million bales (170 kg each) versus 29.72 million bales a year earlier, while jute and mesta output is estimated at 8.34 million bales (180 kg each), down from 8.48 million bales.
On the other hand, groundnut output is seen higher at 11.09 million tonnes against 10.49 million tonnes, and sugarcane production is estimated to increase to 475.6 million tonnes from 454.6 million tonnes previously.
The ministry releases four advance estimates before final production figures for a crop year, which are revised as actual yield data from crop cutting experiments become available.
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