Arable land in India
India: Arable land was 153.87 million hectares in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
153.87 million hectares
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
1st
of 206 countries
All-time high
163.62 million hectares
in 1984
All-time low
153.87 million hectares
in 2023
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Arable land in India, 1961–2023
Source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2023, arable land in India stood at 153.87 million hectares. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arable land in India peaked at 163.62 million hectares in 1984 and was at its lowest, 153.87 million hectares, in 2023.
That places India 1st out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
Arable land in India, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 155.81 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 156.70 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 1963 | 157.47 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1964 | 157.73 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1965 | 158.22 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 158.59 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 159.78 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 1968 | 160.07 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 159.98 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 160.56 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 159.76 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 160.19 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 161.04 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 161.50 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 161.84 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 162.06 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 162.06 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 163.24 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 163.44 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 162.85 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1981 | 162.91 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 163.25 million hectares | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 162.73 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 163.62 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 163.54 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1986 | 163.41 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 163.21 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 162.87 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 163.48 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 163.46 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 163.18 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 162.71 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 162.59 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 162.53 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 161.91 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 161.03 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 161.60 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 161.41 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 160.97 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 160.93 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 160.32 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 160.43 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 159.80 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 159.68 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 159.44 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 158.66 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 158.02 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 158.00 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 157.92 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 157.01 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 156.98 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 156.55 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 156.44 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 156.46 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 156.41 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 156.32 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 155.90 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 155.48 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 155.37 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 154.42 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 154.16 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 154.03 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 153.87 million hectares | -0.1% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 153.87 million hectares is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.60 million hectares, 59.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 153.87 million hectares is above the median for South Asia, which is 1.59 million hectares, 96.9× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 158.26 million hectares | 155.81 million hectares | 160.07 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 161.57 million hectares | 159.76 million hectares | 163.44 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 163.19 million hectares | 162.73 million hectares | 163.62 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 162.14 million hectares | 160.97 million hectares | 163.46 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 159.32 million hectares | 157.92 million hectares | 160.93 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 156.29 million hectares | 155.37 million hectares | 157.01 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 154.12 million hectares | 153.87 million hectares | 154.42 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
More agriculture & rural data for India
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -2.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1623 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 438.73 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4067 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6431 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 16.2% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 16.2% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arable land in India?
- Arable land in India was 153.87 million hectares in 2023, according to FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest arable land recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 163.62 million hectares in 1984.
- What is the lowest arable land recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 153.87 million hectares in 2023.
- How does India rank for arable land?
- India ranks 1st out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is arable land rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Arable land (hectares). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Arable land (in hectares) includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded.