India, Sept. 9 -- Total area sown under paddy is running 3.71 per cent lower at 421.82 lakh hectares (ha) so far in the ongoing 2026 kharif season, against 438.19 lakh ha a year ago, mainly on account of lower coverage in Karnataka and Telangana, according to data released by the Agriculture Ministry on Tuesday.

The biggest shortfalls were reported in Karnataka (4.28 lakh ha), Andhra Pradesh (1.91 lakh), Telangana (3.61 lakh), Jharkhand (1.38 lakh), Uttar Pradesh (1.84 lakh), Madhya Pradesh (1.75 lakh), Tamil Nadu (1.32 lakh ha) and Maharashtra (1.15 lakh ha).

Assam (0.52 lakh ha) and Odisha (0.29 lakh ha), however, posted higher acreage. Experts said the lag in paddy sowing has narrowed despite fears of an El Nino-hit monsoon, as most ...