New Delhi, Dec 22 : The total area sown under rabi crops in the ongoing winter season has increased by 8.11 lakh hectares to 580.70 lakh hectares as on December 19 this year, compared with the corresponding figure of 572.59 lakh hectares in the same period last year, data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on Monday showed.

The increase in sown area is expected to lead to higher production, which in turn would increase the incomes of farmers and also help to keep food inflation in check.

The official figures show that the area under wheat has risen to 301.63 lakh hectares from 300.34 lakh hectares during the same period last year.

The area under pulses such as Urd, Lentils (Masur) and Moong has gone up by 3.72 lakh hectares to 126.74 lakh hectares from 123.02 lakh hectares during the same period last year.

The area covered under coarse cereals or millets such as jowar, bajra and ragi has increased by 0.61 lakh hectares to 45.66 lakh hectares during the current season so far, compared to 45.05 lakh hectares in the same period of the previous year.

The area under oilseeds such as rapeseed and mustard has increased by 0.68 lakh hectares to 93.33 lakh hectares from 92.65 lakh hectares in the same period last year.

The sown area has gone up in the current season as better monsoon rains have facilitated the sowing in unirrigated areas, which account for close to 50 per cent of the countryâ??s farmland.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), on October 1 this year, approved an increase in the minimum support prices (MSP) for all mandated rabi crops for the 2026-27 marketing season to ensure remunerative prices to the growers for their produce.

The minimum support prices are announced well ahead of the sowing season as farmers can accordingly draw up their cropping plans to maximise their earnings.

The highest increase in MSP has been announced for Safflower at Rs. 600 per quintal, followed by Lentil (Masur) at Rs. 300 per quintal. For rapeseed and mustard, gram, barley, and wheat, there is an increase of Rs. 250 per quintal, Rs 225 per quintal, Rs 170 per quintal and Rs 160 per quintal, respectively.

The increase in MSP for mandated Rabi Crops for Marketing Season 2026-27 is in line with the Union Budget 2018-19 announcement of fixing the MSP at a level of at least 1.5 times the All-India weighted average cost of Production.

The expected margin over the All-India weighted average cost of production is 109 per cent for wheat, followed by 93 per cent for rapeseed and mustard, 89 per cent for lentil, 59 per cent for gram, 58 per cent for barley and 50 per cent for safflower. This increased MSP of rabi crops will ensure remunerative prices to the farmers and incentivise crop diversification.

The cost of production for these crops includes all paid out costs such as those incurred on account of hired human labour, bullock labour/machine labour, rent paid for leased in land, expenses incurred on use of material inputs like seeds, fertilizers, manures, irrigation charges, depreciation on implements and farm buildings, interest on working capital, diesel/electricity for operation of pump sets etc., miscellaneous expenses and imputed value of family labour, the official statement explained.

/IANS