The Centre has stepped up preparations for the 2026 Kharif season as the possibility of El Niño creates uncertainty over the southwest monsoon. Speaking on July 8, Union Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the government has been reviewing the situation every week and closely monitoring rainfall and crop conditions.
After a 33% rainfall deficit in June, the overall monsoon deficit has improved to 24% in July. The number of rainfall-deficient districts has also fallen from 262 to 178 following better rainfall in several parts of the country. The Centre is closely monitoring the situation in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, and Odisha.
Kharif sowing has covered 350.85 lakh hectares so far, which is 91.95 lakh hectares lower than the same period last year. The delayed monsoon has mainly affected soybean and cotton sowing. Farmers have been advised to grow short-duration and low water-intensive crops such as maize, Bajra, and Moong.
Chouhan said the government began preparations in April with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) by preparing district-wise contingency plans and sharing them with states. During the ‘Khet Bachao Abhiyan’ in June, over 1.24 lakh programmes were organised, reaching more than 80 lakh farmers.
To support Kharif sowing, the government has maintained a national seed reserve of around 1.75 lakh quintals. Under the Kisan Credit Card campaign, more than 94,000 applications were approved out of 1.14 lakh applications received by June 30. Efforts are also being intensified to increase farmer enrolment under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.
The government has also activated an extensive monitoring system, including the El Niño Monitoring Cell, Crop Weather Watch Group, State-level Control Rooms, and designated officers to track the monsoon, crop sowing, crop conditions, and market trends. The Centre said it is prepared to respond with timely interventions and necessary support for farmers during the Kharif season.
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