India's 2025-26 rabi output: wheat at record 120.21 mt, total rabi up 3.16%
India's agriculture ministry projects record wheat production of 120.21 million tonnes in 2025-26 and a 3.16% rise in total rabi output to 174.51 million tonnes, with mixed changes across pulses, oilseeds and coarse cereals.
India's wheat production for the 2025-26 crop year is estimated at a record 120.21 million tonnes, an increase of 2% from 117.94 million tonnes in 2024-25, according to the agriculture ministry's second advance estimate.
Wheat, a major rabi (winter) crop, has begun to be harvested and is expected to pick up pace in key growing states over the coming weeks, the ministry noted.
Total rabi crop production for 2025-26 is estimated at 174.51 million tonnes, up 3.16% from 169.16 million tonnes in 2024-25, based on average yield and subject to revision in successive estimates.
Pulses output in the rabi season is projected to rise 7% to 16.24 million tonnes from 15.23 million tonnes a year earlier, with gram estimated at 11.79 million tonnes (vs 11.11 million tonnes) and lentil at 1.73 million tonnes (vs 1.65 million tonnes).
Some pulse varieties are forecast lower: urad is seen at 508,000 tonnes (vs 553,000 tonnes) and green gram at 87,000 tonnes (vs 100,000 tonnes).
Among oilseeds, rapeseed-mustard production is estimated at 13.33 million tonnes (up from 12.66 million tonnes). Groundnut output is forecast higher at 797,000 tonnes (vs 678,000 tonnes), while sunflower seed production is estimated lower at 104,000 tonnes (vs 121,000 tonnes).
Coarse cereals and staple cereals show gains: maize output is forecast at 15.90 million tonnes (vs 14.75 million tonnes), rice at 16.72 million tonnes (vs 16.12 million tonnes), and total coarse cereals at 21.34 million tonnes (vs 19.86 million tonnes).
The agriculture ministry cautioned that these rabi production figures are based on average yield assumptions and may change in later estimates.