NEW DELHLI, 10 July 2026: The Centre has intensified its preparedness for the Kharif season as the possibility of an El Niño event continues to pose uncertainty over the southwest monsoon, with weekly reviews, contingency planning, seed reserves, and farmer outreach being strengthened across the country.
Addressing the media after a high-level review meeting, Union Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the government had activated a comprehensive monitoring and response mechanism to minimise the impact of any adverse weather conditions on agriculture.
The minister said the overall rainfall deficit has improved from 33% in June to 24% in July, with recent rains reducing the number of rainfall-deficient districts from 262 to 178.
He said the Centre is closely monitoring the monsoon situation in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, and Odisha, expressing confidence that rainfall would strengthen further during July and accelerate Kharif sowing.
According to the ministry, Kharif sowing has covered 350.85 lakh hectares, around 91.95 lakh hectares lower than the corresponding period last year due to the delayed onset of the monsoon.
The delayed rains have particularly affected soybean and cotton cultivation, prompting the government to advise farmers to shift to short-duration and low water-intensive crops such as maize, bajra, and moong wherever necessary.
Chouhan said preparations began as early as April, with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) preparing district-level contingency plans that were shared with state governments well before the onset of the monsoon.
As part of the 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan', more than 1.24 lakh awareness programmes were conducted across the country during June, directly reaching over 80 lakh farmers with advisories on climate-resilient farming practices.
To ensure uninterrupted sowing operations, the government has maintained a national seed reserve of around 1.75 lakh quintals, ensuring adequate seed availability in case of weather-related disruptions.
The minister also said efforts have been intensified to expand the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) programme, with over 94,000 applications approved out of 1.14 lakh applications received by June 30.
Simultaneously, the Centre is encouraging greater enrolment under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) to provide financial protection to farmers against crop losses resulting from adverse weather events.
To closely monitor the evolving weather situation, the government has activated an extensive surveillance mechanism comprising the El Niño Monitoring Cell, Crop Weather Watch Group, state-level control rooms, and designated field officers, who are tracking rainfall, crop conditions, sowing progress, and market trends on a continuous basis.
The ministry said the government remains fully prepared with contingency plans, resources, and timely interventions to safeguard agricultural production and support farmers throughout the Kharif season.
Image credit: telugu.newsmeter.in
