Kharif pulses sowing faces a 43% decline as farmers await crucial rains in Karnataka and Maharashtra | Photo Credit: KK Mustafah

A delayed and deficient monsoon, so far, has led to a weak start for the kharif pulses sowing, with the coverage down 43 per cent as of June 12. Farmers in key producing regions of Karnataka and Maharashtra are awaiting rains to take up sowing of pulses such as tur (pigeon pea), urad (black matpe) and moong (lentils), even as the delay has triggered concerns among the growers.

As per the Agriculture Ministry data released on Tuesday, tur has been planted on 0.09 lakh hectares (lh) till June 12 across the country, down 57 per cent over the same period last year, while urad has been seeded in some 0.27 lh, trailing last year’s corresponding level of 0.35 lh by about 22 per cent. Moong has been planted on 0.69 lh, down 55 per cent from 1.54 lh.

“So far, there has been no rain. We are not sure whether the rains will arrive on time in the days ahead. Farmers are concerned about the delay in rains,” said Basavaraj Ingin, President, Karnataka Pradesh Red Gram Growers Association in Kalaburgi, a key pulses-growing region in North Eastern Karnataka. The situation is similar in adjoining parts of neighbouring Maharashtra, such as Latur and Solapur and also in Telangana, where pigeon pea is largely grown, he said.

32% deficient rain

As per the IMD data, the country as a whole has received 32 per cent deficient rain till June 15. Against a normal of 62.1 mm of rainfall, the country as a whole received 42.4 mm of rain during the period.

N Kalantri, a miller in Latur, said there were no rains in the region and sowing of tur is yet to start.

In some parts of Kalaburgi, where it had rained a few weeks ago, farmers had taken up sowing of moong. “Even that early sown crop requires rains now to survive,” Ingin said, adding that the government should start planning to rescue the farmers from the emerging situation.

Sowing of moong has taken place in parts of Gadag and Yadgir, wherever it has rained, but growers are waiting for a fresh spell to aid the crop growth, said Sujay Hubli, a miller in Gadag.

El Nino concern

“It is still a wait-and-watch situation, as there is a lot of uncertainty over rains,” said Satish Upadhyay, Hon Secretary, India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA). However, El Nino is a concern for the main pulses-producing states such as Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan, he said. Though sowing can be taken up till mid-July for crops like tur and matpe, the crop will get delayed, he said.

Upadhyay said the Government is holding buffer stocks of 4.3-4.5 million tonnes of pulses, which should keep the prices under check.

Published on June 16, 2026