Kharif sowing trails seasonal targets as erratic monsoon clouds farmers’ prospects
India’s kharif sowing for the 2025 season has fallen behind schedule, with the deficit in cumulative rainfall raising alarms for agriculture production, food inflation, and rural incomes. According to data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, total kharif acreage stood at 46.3 million hectares (Mha) as of the first week of July,…