Kharif Crop

Weak monsoon may lift soluble fertiliser demand, price remains a risk: SFAI

An uncertain monsoon could work in favour of India's soluble fertiliser makers this Kharif season, but a sharp rise in prices poses a bigger risk to demand, industry body SFAI said on Sunday. Prices of key inputs have surged 60-100 per cent over the past year due to China's export curbs and disruptions linked to tensions in West Asia, Soluble Fertilizer Association of India (SFAI) President Rajib Chakraborty said. "Current prices are almost 60 to 100 per cent up," Chakraborty told PTI, adding that monoammonium phosphate (MAP), which sold for around USD 1,000 per tonne over the last couple of years, is now trading at USD 1,500-1,600 per tonne. "An increase of USD 600 per tonne means it's a big thing," he noted. Asked about the biggest risk to the sector this season, Chakraborty said it was the possibility of a drop in consumption due to the price rise. "The moment it becomes very expensive, farmers stop using it," he said, adding that price control was not possible or within the ..

Paddy sowing down 13%, total Kharif acreage falls 21% due to low rainfall

Total sowing of kharif crops, including paddy, declined to 350.85 lakh hectares, a 21 per cent decrease from 442.8 lakh hectares last year, agriculture ministry data showed on Monday, citing low rainfall amid delayed progress of the southwest monsoon. As per the data, paddy acreage is down by 13 per cent to 60.24 lakh hectares till July 6 in the ongoing kharif season compared with 69.3 lakh hectares last year. The pulses sowing has also declined to 37.15 lakh hectares from 47.49 lakh hectares last year, the data showed. The area under coverage for Shri Anna cumulative coarse cereals fell to 60.12 lakh hectares from 71.86 lakh hectares. Sowing area under oilseeds declined sharply to 66.31 lakh hectares from 109.27 lakh hectares last year, the data showed. Cotton sowing also dropped to 63.18 lakh hectares from 82 lakh hectares last year.

Kharif sowing slumps 23% amid delayed monsoon, paddy acreage falls sharply

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

Rajasthan agri dept sets kharif sowing targets, focus on major millets

Rajasthan boosts kharif targets for millets, guar and soybean, with sowing prospects hinging on monsoon progress and rainfall distribution

El Niño set to further disrupt India's $300 bn agricultural supply chain

A prolonged delay in monsoon rainfall is disrupting kharif crop planting and raising concerns over agricultural output amid the emergence of El Niño conditions

Climate-resistant crop varieties can reduce El Niño impact, say experts

Agricultural experts say resilient traditional rice varieties such as Kala Namak can help farmers withstand delayed monsoons and weather-related stress during the kharif season

India scales down kharif 2026 fertiliser requirement to 38.39 mn tonnes

India currently has around 19.98 million tonnes of fertilisers in stock, which means it has almost 52 per cent of the total reassessed requirement in stock as of today

Uttar Pradesh sets 30 MT kharif foodgrain and oilseed output target

Uttar Pradesh aims to boost kharif food grain and oilseed output by 20% as it pushes to become a global agriculture hub by 2047

Govt fully prepared for El Nino impact on kharif crops: Shivraj Singh

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

India's wheat production pegged at record in 2025-26 despite uneven weather

Kharif 2026 conference today amid El Nino shadow on monsoon

Adequate fertiliser reserves available, no need to panic, says Nadda

Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister J P Nadda on Friday said India has adequate reserves to provide fertilisers to farmers and there is no need to panic. Replying to a supplementary question in the Lok Sabha on what steps the government is taking to ensure availability amid the ongoing West Asia war, Nadda said he has spoken to state agriculture ministers on Thursday and informed them about availability of fertilisers. "I want to assure the citizens of the country the government has taken steps to ensure that fertiliser is available to farmers whenever required. We have sufficient reserves in place. There is not need to panic," the minister said. To a supplementary question from Congress member Manish Tewari on whether the government is looking at newer markets for fertiliser imports, Nadda said there is sufficient reserves for kharif season. "We are also looking for diversification, new markets, newer areas, wherefrom we will get raw materials also for fertilisers. We have framed u

Mandi prices of major kharif crops show little improvement, shows data

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

Mandi prices of major kharif crops show little improvement between Sept-Oct

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

Rajasthan approves input subsidy for 763k farmers hit by excessive rain

The Rajasthan government has approved agricultural input subsidy for 7.63 lakh farmers affected by excessive rainfall during the 2025 Kharif season, an official statement said on Friday. The decision, taken under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, aims to provide relief to farmers whose crops suffered damage due to natural calamities, the statement said. According to the order, crops with losses exceeding 33 per cent due to heavy rainfall have been identified across 43 tehsils in six districts, covering 3,777 villages declared as disaster-affected based on girdawari (crop loss assessment). "In these 3,777 villages, around 7.63 lakh farmers will receive agricultural input subsidy from the State Disaster Relief Fund," the statement said. The affected villages include 1,597 in Jhalawar, 1,197 in Tonk, 534 in Bundi, 349 in Bharatpur, 58 in Deeg, and 42 in Dholpur district. The government said final reports of crop loss from other districts are being compiled, and appro

The price trap: Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana, Madhya Pradesh's high-wire act

From promised MSPs to manipulated markets, the state's soybean farmers walk a delicate tightrope of risk, loss, and hope

Farm sector GVA rises 3.7% in Q1 FY26, up from 1.5% a year earlier

Agriculture GVA grew 3.7% in Q1 FY26 from 1.5% a year ago, with surplus rains and higher kharif sowing expected to drive stronger growth in coming quarters

Kharif paddy sowing rises 12%; acreage of cotton and oilseeds down

Paddy sowing so far this kharif season is higher by 12 per cent at 364.80 lakh hectares, according to government data. Sowing of paddy -- the main crop of kharif (summer-sown) season -- stood at 325.36 lakh hectares in the same period last year. The Department of Agriculture has released progress of area coverage under kharif crops as on August 8, 2025. Total sowing area of all kharif crops rose to 995.63 lakh hectares till August 8, from 957.15 lakh hectares a year ago, an official statement said on Monday. The acreage of pulses increased marginally to 106.68 lakh hectares from 106.52 lakh hectares, while the sowing area of coarse cereals rose to 178.73 lakh hectares from 170.96 lakh hectares. In the non-foodgrains category, the acreage of oilseeds was down at 175.61 lakh hectares from 182.43 lakh hectares. Area under cotton was down at 106.96 lakh hectares from 110.49 lakh hectares. However, sugarcane sowing was slightly higher so far at 57.31 lakh hectares against 55.68 lakh

Kharif sowing hits 75% of target, but pulses and cotton lag behind

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

Domestic DAP makers take a lesser hit than importers amid price surge

Price of raw materials used by local players has not spiked

Kharif sowing update: Cotton, soybean show slower progress than last year

In the case of soybeans, traders said that total acreage covered could be lower than last year as farmers have struggled to get adequate price for their crops due to unregulated imports of edible oils