For the first time this kharif season, urad (black matpe) acreage is higher than last year’s levels by eight per cent as farmers in northern States such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have expanded the coverage. This is in view of recent rains spurring the sowing.

As per the latest data released by the Agriculture Ministry on Friday, the area under urad was 18.67 lakh hectares (lh) as of July 24, an increase of 8 per cent over 17.27 lh a year ago. A week ago, the urad acreage was 13.51 lh (14.36 lh in corresponding last year). This week has seen an increase of over 5 lh, as farmers increased the area.

Buoyed by attractive price

“There’s a good recovery in the acreage in the past two weeks due pick up in rains in some states. Farmers are preferring to plant urad as prices are attractive. There’s is a good demand for seeds and in some areas of Gujarat and Rajasthan, we feel farmers could take up re-sowing of urad,” said Satish Upadhyaya, Hon Secretary of India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA), the apex trade body. While the overall area has increased, the output of urad will all depend on the rains during September-October period, he said.

In Madhya Pradesh, the largest urad-producing state, the area has increased by 13 per cent at 6.17 lh (5.48 lh). Similarly, Uttar Pradesh has seen the acreage increase by a bigger margin. Urad area has increased in the northern State by 75 per cent to 4.99 lh (2.84 lh). Also in Rajasthan, the area has increased by over 16 per cent to 3.25 lh (2.79 lh). In Gujarat, the area has increased by around 25 per cent to 0.49 lh (0.39 lh)

The delayed onset and slower progress of the monsoon in states such as Maharashtra and Karnataka impacted the urad area. In Maharashtra, the urad acreage is down by 53 per cent at 1.6 lh (3.43 lh), while in Karnataka the area decline has been around 24 per cent at 0.71 lh (0.94 lh).

Favouring factors

Rahul Chauhan of IGrain India said the prevailing high prices could have attracted the farmers’ interest in the northern States. Also, factors such as being a shorter-duration crop of 60-80 days and the requirement of less water compared to other crops are other reasons for finding favour among the farmers.

Trade sources in the South said they are pinning their hopes on the urad crop in Northern states to offset the decline in Maharashtra and Karnataka. “We are expecting only about a fourth of the crop to come in in Maharashtra and Karnataka this year due to the less rains. We are hoping that the higher output in MP will offset the decline in these states,” said B KrishnaMurthy of Four P International in Chennai.

Published on July 24, 2026