New Delhi, July 13 -- El Niño conditions have cast a shadow over India's kharif sowing season, with acreage under key crops such as paddy, pulses, oilseeds and cotton trailing last year's levels amid delayed and uneven monsoon rains.

As of 10 July, farmers had sown kharif crops across 53.12 million hectares, down from 63.25 million hectares a year ago, according to government data. The sown area is also 1.8 million hectares below the normal acreage-defined as the 2021-25 average-reflecting sluggish planting across several rain-fed states. Paddy has seen one of the sharpest declines.

A weak monsoon may cut paddy acreage, Mint reported on 4 July. Rice was sown over 11.47 million hectares, compared with 12.55 million hectares during t...