Area sown under wheat, the main winter crop, is marginally lower at 25.3 million hectare so far as compared with 25.7 million hectare in the same period last year, according to the Agriculture Ministry.
Sowing of rabi crops like wheat begins in October, while the harvesting is undertaken in April.
Barring oilseeds and coarse cereals, the coverage of other crops has only been slightly better than the year-ago period, the latest data released by the ministry showed.
Experts said wheat sowing has picked up with better weather condition. However, the worrying factor for farmers is that the government has not yet announced the minimum support price of wheat.
The coverage of pulses remained lower at 12.82 million hectare so far, as against 12.93 million hectare in the year-ago period. Acreage under rice was also less at 1,71,000 hectare, as compared with 2,78,000 hectare.
However, oilseeds were sown in slighter higher area of 7.95 million hectare as against 7.5 million hectare, while coarse cereals were also planted in more area at 5.48 million hectare as against 5.37 million hectare in the review period.
Total area under all rabi crops remained slightly lower at 51.75 million hectare so far this rabi season, as against 51.88 million hectare in the year-ago period.
The government is focusing on efforts to make up for the shortfall during kharif season of the current 2012-13 crop year (July-June) on account of poor rains. It aims to harvest 120.50 million tonnes of foodgrains during rabi season.