Maize Gains Substantially at the Cost of Soybean in Kharif 2025
27 August 2025, New Delhi: The Kharif 2025 sowing season in India has brought to light a major shift in the cropping pattern that could redefine the future of agricultural land use. According to the data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the total area under Kharif crops as of 22 August 2025 stands at 1073.98 lakh hectares, registering a growth of 35.40 lakh hectares (3%) compared to the previous year. While rice has led the overall acreage gains, the most significant structural change this season has been the substantial increase in maize cultivation at the expense of soybean.
Maize Expansion Outpaces Other Crops
The figures highlight that maize has emerged as one of the biggest gainers of Kharif 2025. The area under maize cultivation has reached 93.34 lakh hectares, compared to 83.58 lakh hectares in 2024. This means maize has expanded by 9.76 lakh hectares, recording a growth of 12% year-on-year. The increase has also pushed maize acreage far beyond its “normal” area of 78.95 lakh hectares, demonstrating that farmers are allocating more land to maize than they usually do in a typical Kharif season.
The surge in maize cultivation can be attributed to multiple factors. Farmers in states such as Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Bihar have increasingly preferred maize due to its relatively stable yields and rising demand from the poultry feed and starch industries. Maize also enjoys flexibility under changing weather conditions compared to oilseeds, which are more vulnerable to erratic rainfall. With India’s maize exports gaining momentum and domestic consumption steadily growing, the crop has become a profitable alternative for many growers.
Soybean in Decline
In contrast, soybean, the backbone of India’s oilseed production in the Kharif season, has witnessed a decline in acreage. The crop has been sown on 120.11 lakh hectares in 2025, compared to 124.88 lakh hectares in 2024, a drop of 4.77 lakh hectares or 4%. This fall is significant, given soybean’s dominant role in India’s edible oil supply chain and its status as a cash crop in the central states.
The decline in soybean acreage suggests that farmers, particularly in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, have shifted land away from soybean and into maize. Price volatility, the risk of pest attacks, and uncertain monsoon spells that affect oilseeds more severely than cereals may have prompted this change. Moreover, the relatively lower growth in oilseed procurement compared to cereals could have further discouraged farmers from maintaining the earlier levels of soybean cultivation.
Impact on the Oilseeds Sector
Soybean’s decline has contributed to an overall contraction in the oilseeds category. Total oilseeds acreage in Kharif 2025 has fallen to 182.38 lakh hectares, down from 187.64 lakh hectares in the previous year, showing a reduction of 5.26 lakh hectares or 3%. Alongside soybean, other oilseeds such as groundnut and sesamum also recorded losses. Groundnut dropped from 46.56 lakh hectares in 2024 to 45.30 lakh hectares in 2025, while sesamum fell from 10.46 lakh hectares to 9.83 lakh hectares.
This contraction raises concerns about India’s edible oil security, as the country already depends heavily on imports to meet domestic demand. A continued decline in soybean acreage could widen the gap between demand and supply, potentially increasing the reliance on imported oils such as palm and soybean oil.
All India: Progressive Crop Area Sown Report – Kharif 2025
| Crop Category | Normal (Lakh Ha) | 2025-26 (Lakh Ha) | 2024-25 (Lakh Ha) | Difference (Lakh Ha) | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rice | 403.09 | 420.41 | 390.80 | +29.60 | +8% |
| Maize | 78.95 | 93.34 | 83.58 | +9.76 | +12% |
| Soybean | 127.19 | 120.11 | 124.88 | -4.77 | -4% |
| Cotton | 129.50 | 108.47 | 111.39 | -2.92 | -3% |
| Total Pulses | 129.61 | 112.77 | 111.42 | +1.34 | +1% |
| Total Coarse Cereals | 180.71 | 187.12 | 175.93 | +11.18 | +6% |
| Total Oilseeds | 194.63 | 182.38 | 187.64 | -5.26 | -3% |
| Sugarcane | 52.51 | 57.31 | 55.68 | +1.64 | +3% |
| Jute & Mesta | 6.60 | 5.54 | 5.72 | -0.19 | -3% |
| Grand Total | 1096.65 | 1073.98 | 1038.58 | +35.40 | +3% |
Also Read: Possible Decline in Wheat Production in India, Says Agriculture Minister
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