As the rabi or winter crop season nears its end, the total sown area for wheat, pulses, oilseeds, and coarse cereals has slightly lagged behind last year's levels, primarily due to a decline in oilseed acreage. According to the agriculture ministry's data released on Tuesday, 93% of the sowing has been completed, covering 590.8 lakh hectares (Lha). Sowing Outlook Despite the current gap, officials are optimistic that the sowing area will reach the normal level of 635.3 Lha, as sowing activity is expected to continue until mid-January. Harvesting is set to begin in the last week of March. Wheat Gains Momentum Wheat, the primary rabi crop, has shown a 2.5% increase in sowing compared to last year, with 312.2 Lha already covered. Late-sown wheat varieties are expected to be planted in the coming weeks, further boosting acreage. Pulses Acreage Declines Slightly The area under pulses, including gram (chana), masoor, and urad, has dipped marginally to 125.6 Lha. However, officials anticipate surpassing the normal sowing area of 140.4 Lha due to high remunerative prices received by farmers last year. Chana, which accounts for half of the total pulse production, has seen a 2% increase in acreage to 86 Lha. Masoor sowing, however, has registered a decline. Oilseeds Acreage Drops Oilseed sowing has fallen by over 5.5% year-on-year, covering 95.2 Lha so far. Mustard, the primary oilseed crop, has seen a 5.5% decrease in sown area, amounting to 88.5 Lha, compared to the normal sown area of 86.9 Lha. Officials attribute this decline to farmers opting for more remunerative crops such as coarse cereals. Factors Supporting Rabi Crop Performance The above-normal monsoon has replenished water reservoirs and improved groundwater levels, enhancing soil moisture for winter crops. Additionally, La Niña conditions are expected to extend winter months, which could benefit crop yields and offset delays in sowing. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a high probability of La Niña conditions persisting through November to February, further supporting crop growth prospects. Record Foodgrain Production Target In October, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced an ambitious target of 3415.5 lakh tonnes (LT) for foodgrain production in the 2024-25 crop year, a 3% Rabi crops are projected to contribute 1645.5 LT, while the kharif and summer seasons are estimated to yield 1613.7 LT and 22.5 LT, respectively. Wheat production is expected to reach a record 1150 LT in 2024-25. Chana output is also projected at an all-time high of 136.5 LT, a recovery from the 10% decline in 2023-24 caused by adverse weather.