On Thursday, 24 July, an official statement said that Uttar Pradesh is witnessing a major rise in the enclosures of oilseeds and pulses, with the Kharif season witnessing a major expansion in the enclosures of sesame, groundnut, and soybean.
As per recent data given by the Agriculture Department, the total area under oilseed crops jumped to 547.14 thousand hectares in 2025, which was earlier around 432.25 thousand hectares in 2024. A significant rise has been recorded in sesame cultivation, which rose from 180.26 thousand hectares to 303 thousand hectares in one year
Not only this, but expansion has also been observed in Groundnut and soybean cultivation. Notably, the area under soybeans rose from 34.12 thousand hectares to 40 thousand hectares, whereas groundnut enclosures increased from 204 thousand hectares to 218 thousand hectares.
Additionally, the statement said that when it comes to pulses, pigeon pea (arhar) is the primary Kharif pulse and the farmer’s favourite for so long. A further increase in enclosure is expected, since sowing of some varieties extends to September. The area under pigeon pea has expanded from 184 thousand hectares to 273 thousand hectares so far. The cultivation of Moong has also risen from 30,000 hectares to 32,000 hectares.
Besides that, the area under major Kharif crops like paddy and maize has also increased. The Enclosure of Paddy increased from 4,193 thousand hectares to 5,546 thousand hectares, & maize from 636 thousand hectares to 701 thousand hectares. Particularly, farmers’ interest in the cultivation of cotton has seen a surge, with the area expanding from 7,000 hectares to 18,000 hectares, it said. Generally, the total area under Kharif crops in Uttar Pradesh has risen significantly to 8,262 thousand hectares in the present season from nearly 6,574 thousand hectares the previous year.