New Delhi: Kharif preparedness has become the top priority for the Central Government as India closely watches the possible impact of El Niño on the southwest monsoon. The Centre has stepped up monitoring, strengthened seed reserves, issued crop advisories, and intensified farmer support measures to reduce the impact of uncertain rainfall during the 2026 Kharif season. The information was shared by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
The government said that while the monsoon started slowly, rainfall has improved in many parts of the country. The overall rainfall deficit has reduced from 33% in June to around 24%, bringing relief to farmers in several states.
Kharif Preparedness: Government Closely Monitoring El Niño Risk
Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the government is reviewing the monsoon situation every week. Special monitoring is being carried out in states including Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal and Odisha.
Read also: Gujarat Govt Launches Comprehensive El Niño Preparedness Plan Across Key Sectors
According to the minister, rainfall has improved in many regions over the past few days, and the government expects further progress in July to support Kharif cultivation.
Kharif Sowing Continues Despite Delayed Monsoon
The government said Kharif sowing has already covered around 350.85 lakh hectares. However, this is nearly 19.95 lakh hectares lower than the same period last year due to the delayed arrival of the monsoon. The delayed rainfall has mainly affected crops such as soybean and cotton. Farmers have been advised to grow short-duration and low-water-consuming crops like maize, bajra and moong wherever suitable.
Kharif Preparedness: Preparations Started Months in Advance
The Centre said preparations for possible monsoon challenges began as early as April 2026. Working with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the government identified districts that could be affected by rainfall shortages and shared contingency plans with state governments well in advance.
Under the ‘Khet Bachao Abhiyan’, more than 1.24 lakh awareness programmes were conducted across the country, reaching over 80 lakh farmers with information on climate-resilient farming practices.
Kharif Preparedness: Seed Reserves Ready Across India
To ensure that farmers do not face shortages during sowing, the government has maintained a national seed reserve of about 1.75 lakh quintals. Officials said the reserve will help ensure seed availability even if weather conditions change unexpectedly.
PM Kisan Credit Card Campaign Gains Momentum
The Agriculture Ministry also said that the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) campaign has been intensified. More than 94,000 applications have already been approved from 1.14 lakh applications received up to June 30, helping farmers access timely agricultural credit.
Kharif Preparedness: Crop Insurance Coverage Being Expanded
The government is also encouraging more farmers to join the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). Officials said wider insurance coverage will provide financial protection to farmers if crops suffer losses due to adverse weather conditions linked to the monsoon or El Niño.
Multi-Level Monitoring Mechanism Activated
The Centre has activated an extensive monitoring system to track changing weather conditions. The monitoring network includes the El Niño Monitoring Cell, Crop Weather Watch Group, State-level Control Rooms, and designated officers who are regularly reviewing monsoon progress, sowing, crop conditions and market trends.
Government Assures Full Support to Farmers
The Union Agriculture Minister said the government is fully prepared to respond to any weather-related challenge during the Kharif season. He said continuous monitoring, timely interventions, adequate resources and coordinated action with state governments will ensure farmers receive all necessary support throughout the season.
Read also: Strong El Niño May Intensify Heatwaves and Rainfall Extremes, WMO Alerts
