Share of land area used for arable agriculture in India
India: Share of land area used for arable agriculture was 51.8% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Share of land area used for arable agriculture in India, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of land area.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of land area used for arable agriculture in India is 51.8%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of land area used for arable agriculture in India peaked at 55.0% in 1984 and was at its lowest, 51.8%, in 2023.
India ranks 5th of 206 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Share of land area used for arable agriculture in India, year by year
| Year | % of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 52.4% | — |
| 1962 | 52.7% | +0.6% |
| 1963 | 53.0% | +0.5% |
| 1964 | 53.1% | +0.2% |
| 1965 | 53.2% | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 53.3% | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 53.7% | +0.8% |
| 1968 | 53.8% | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 53.8% | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 54.0% | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 53.7% | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 53.9% | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 54.2% | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 54.3% | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 54.4% | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 54.5% | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 54.5% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 54.9% | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 55.0% | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 54.8% | -0.4% |
| 1981 | 54.8% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 54.9% | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 54.7% | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 55.0% | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 55.0% | -0.0% |
| 1986 | 55.0% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 54.9% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 54.8% | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 55.0% | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 55.0% | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 54.9% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 54.7% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 54.7% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 54.7% | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 54.5% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 54.2% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 54.4% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 54.3% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 54.1% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 54.1% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 53.9% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 54.0% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 53.7% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 53.7% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 53.6% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 53.4% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 53.1% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 53.1% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 53.1% | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 52.8% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 52.8% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 52.7% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 52.6% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 52.6% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 52.6% | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 52.6% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 52.4% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 52.3% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 52.3% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 51.9% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 51.9% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 51.8% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 51.8% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 53.2% | 52.4% | 53.8% | 9 |
| 1970s | 54.3% | 53.7% | 55.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 54.9% | 54.7% | 55.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 54.5% | 54.1% | 55.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 53.6% | 53.1% | 54.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 52.6% | 52.3% | 52.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.8% | 51.8% | 51.9% | 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 share of land area used for arable agriculture in India?
- Share of land area used for arable agriculture in India was 51.8% in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of land area used for arable agriculture recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 55.0% in 1984.
- What is the lowest share of land area used for arable agriculture recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 51.8% in 2023.
- How does India rank for share of land area used for arable agriculture?
- India ranks 5th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of land area used for arable agriculture 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 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of land area used for arable agriculture. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The share of land area used for arable agriculture, measured as a percentage of total land area. Arable land 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.