India's farmland shrank while smarter farming boosted crop output
India's farmland has actually gotten a bit smaller over the past three years, dropping from 179.98 million hectares in 2022-23 to 179.43 million hectares in 2024-25.
Still, thanks to smarter farming and government support for growing more crops on the same land, overall crop output is way up.
The gross cropped area has jumped from 198.28 million hectares in 2014-15 to 225.19 million hectares in 2024-25.
India's cropping intensity and foodgrain surge
Farmers are squeezing more out of every field: cropping intensity rose from 142.2% to 159.7% since 2014-15.
Foodgrain production soared from 252.02 million tons to 376.56 million tons in 2025-26 (advance estimates), and horticulture saw similar growth.
Meanwhile, Bihar is making waves by leading Makhana (fox nut) production, hitting innovative highs with new varieties and clever farming methods that boost both yields and incomes.