An 82 per cent rainfall deficit has brought Kharif sowing in Gujarat to a crawl, with farmers postponing planting amid the delayed advance of the southwest monsoon.By the end of June, only 12.71 lakh hectares had been sown—62 per cent lower than the 33.9 lakh hectares covered during the same period last year—raising concerns over the pace of the sowing season if widespread rains do not arrive soon.The area sown so far is just 15 per cent of Gujarat’s normal Kharif acreage of around 85 lakh hectares, highlighting the extent to which weak monsoon activity has disrupted farm operations.While scattered showers have been reported in some parts of the state, most farmers are waiting for sustained rainfall before taking up large-scale sowing.The biggest setback has been in Gujarat’s key cash and oilseed crops. Farmers have sown only 4.29 lakh hectares under oilseeds so far, nearly five times lower than the corresponding period last year.Groundnut, the state’s largest Kharif crop, has been planted on 4.12 lakh hectares, a steep 73% decline from a year ago, while soybean acreage has plunged 87 per cent to just 15,406 hectares.Cotton, another major Kharif crop, has fared little better. Farmers have covered only 6.83 lakh hectares, down 51 per cent from the area sown by the end of June last year, reflecting widespread caution amid uncertain rainfall.Among cereals, however, sowing has bucked the broader trend. Farmers have planted 38,874 hectares, about 7 per cent more than during the same period last year.Pulses, on the other hand, have seen a sharp decline, with sowing limited to just 5,479 hectares, nearly one-fifth of last year’s coverage.The uneven progress of the monsoon is evident across the state. While Surat and Tapi in south Gujarat received heavy showers over the past 24 hours, large parts of Gujarat continue to remain dry, delaying field preparation and planting.The situation is most acute in Saurashtra, where Devbhumi Dwarka continues to record a 100 per cent rainfall deficit. Nine other districts in the region are also grappling with rainfall deficits of more than 90 per cent, leaving farmers reluctant to begin sowing until there is greater certainty over moisture availability.There is, however, some relief in sight. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), conditions have become favourable for the further advance of the southwest monsoon into more parts of Gujarat.The next few days are expected to be crucial, as widespread rainfall could help farmers accelerate sowing and narrow the gap with last year’s acreage.Published on June 30, 2026