Kharif Season

July rainfall is expected to be less than 94% of the long-term average of about 28 centimeters, largely due to the emergence of an El Niño weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean

If rains are less in the central and western parts of the country, where irrigation coverage is lower than the national average, the impact on oilseeds and pulses could be more

Sowing of kharif crops including paddy is lagging significantly in the country, with total acreage at 182.72 lakh hectares as of June, down 23 per cent compared to 236.46 lakh hectares a year earlier, amid delayed onset and sluggish progress of the southwest monsoon, according to agriculture ministry data. Not only rice but also pulses, oilseeds, coarse cereals and cotton have seen lower sowing than the year-ago period. Sowing of kharif crops normally begins with the onset of southwest monsoon from June. According to the latest data, paddy acreage -- the main kharif crop -- was down 25.17 per cent at 25.75 lakh hectares as on June 25, against 34.41 lakh hectares last year. Pulses sowing lagged by 30.47 per cent at 14.92 lakh hectares versus 21.46 lakh hectares, while oilseeds area plunged 53.33 per cent to 16.99 lakh hectares from 36.41 lakh hectares. Among pulses, tur/arhar sowing stood at 3.56 lakh hectares against 8.45 lakh hectares. In oilseeds, groundnut area fell to 8.87 la

UP targets an 8% rise in paddy output and 18% higher kharif production despite El Niño risks, backed by contingency plans and stronger farm support

Agriculture Secretary Atish Chandra on Wednesday said the ministry is awaiting the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) forecast by the end of this month to get a clearer picture on the El Nino timeline before deciding on concrete steps to mitigate the likely impact on kharif crops. "The prediction on when El Nino will set in is still to come. By the end of this month, IMD will come out with the forecast, and then the picture will be clearer. We will then be in the thick of the kharif sowing season and will know how it is going to pan out," Chandra told PTI in an interview. While there have been broad forecasts of El Nino setting in around November, IMD is seeking greater certainty before firming up its assessment. A key variable being tracked is the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) a climate pattern characterised by irregular sea surface temperature oscillations in the Indian Ocean. After remaining positive in May, the IOD has turned neutral in June. "Whether it will remain neutral

The government on Monday said farmers have bought 11.17 lakh tonnes of organic manure in the ongoing kharif sowing season, a 3.5 times jump from the year-ago period, indicating a gradual shift from chemical fertilisers. The Centre also reiterated that the overall stock position of fertilisers in the country is comfortable and there is no challenge in availability. It is also monitoring the situation on a regular basis to ensure adequate domestic supply. At an inter-ministerial briefing on the recent developments in West Asia, Aparna S Sharma, additional secretary in the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, said, "For kharif 2026, the fertiliser requirement has been reassessed by the Department of Agriculture at 383.9 lakh tonnes and against this, the stock as on today is 197.56 lakh tonnes". The stock is more than 51 per cent of the kharif season demand and this is significantly higher than the usual level of 33 per cent, she added. "The purchase of fertiliser has been abou

The ministry is in the process of identifying districts for alternative crops and ensuring seed availability in the event of an El Nino impact, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said

The Centre is fully prepared to mitigate any adverse impact of the El Nino weather phenomenon on this year's kharif crop, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Thursday, as he called for integrated farming and greater self-reliance in pulses and oilseeds. "Rather than worrying, preparation is required. Contingency plans will be made for affected districts and crop changes will be considered wherever necessary," Chouhan told reporters on the sidelines of the two-day National Kharif Conference here. The Ministry is in the process of identifying districts for alternative crops and ensuring seed availability in the event of an El Nino impact, he said. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had, in its first-stage forecast on April 13, projected a below-normal southwest monsoon for 2026, with rainfall likely to be around 92 per cent of the long-period average. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has indicated a probable return of El Nino conditions as early

SKM announces nationwide protests from May 27 against the Centre's MSP policy, rising fuel prices and the worsening fertiliser situation

Industry says restrictions on two widely used crop protection chemicals could increase cultivation costs, encourage counterfeit products and disrupt kharif operations

More importantly, the inflation has been kept under control as of now with the government absorbing a large part of the crude oil cost increase.

The government has approved a ₹41,534 crore subsidy for Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) fertilisers for the upcoming 2025-26 kharif season.

The first advance estimate pegs India's 2025-26 kharif rice output at 124.50 mt while total foodgrains production is projected to rise to 173.33 mt despite localised weather damage

This could have serious implications on farmers' earnings as the kharif harvest has picked up pace since late October

Prices of soybean, moong, and groundnut remained below MSPs in late October despite some recovery, prompting government action through import curbs and procurement plans

While procurement of paddy began in the western UP districts on October 1, the process will commence on November 1 in the eastern UP region

The state government has said it is addressing supply chain issues and promoting alternative fertilisers, due to the shortfall of diammonium phosphate (DAP) and urea

Owing to deluge of cheap imports, the area under pulses is down

In Rajasthan, the main crops grown during the monsoon season include pearl millet (bajra), moong, moth, groundnut, soybean, cotton, and guar (cluster beans)

India Meteorological Department (IMD) data showed that rainfall from July 10-16 were almost 31 per cent above normal in North-West India