Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare | Photo Credit: ANI

The Indian government is shoring up contingency plans to insulate the upcoming Kharif season from potential El Niño disruptions. Dismissing panic over weather uncertainties, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Thursday, “No need to fear, rather preparations have to be in place.” Singh’s statement comes as the IMD's final assessment is still awaited. The Ministry has already ensured the availability of sufficient seed stocks to facilitate alternative cropping if conditions deteriorate.

Inaugurating the two-day national Kharif conference in New Delhi on Thursday, Chouhan called for integrated farming and greater self-reliance via pulses and oilseeds.

“Contingency plans will be made for affected districts and crop changes will be considered wherever necessary,” Chouhan told media on the sidelines of the event. The Agriculture 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.

Minister’s directive

The Minister also directed officials to ensure timely seed distribution ahead of the monsoon, expand kisan credit card coverage, expedite farmer ID issuance, and take strict action against those selling spurious seeds, fertilizers and pesticides.

According to IMD’s first stage forecast in April, India will have “below-normal” monsoon rainfall in June-September season this year, and quantitatively 92 per cent of the long period average (1971-2020) of 87 cm. The weather bureau is expected to release its second stage forecast this week, detailing the monthly geographical distribution of rainfall.

Amid a forecast of a super El Nino, a drought-bearing weather phenomenon in the tropical Pacific Ocean, this year, according to most global models, deficient rains are feared during the four-month south-west monsoon, which contributes 75 per cent to India’s annual normal rainfall of 116 cm.

Sowing of Kharif crops begin at different phases in different States depending on the agro climatic zones as well as the crops and varieties selected by farmers. While sugarcane sowing is nearly complete, cotton planting in the north-west region is also over.

Struggling monsoon

It was predicted by IMD that monsoon would hit Kerala coast on May 26, with a model error of (+/-) 4 days, against the usual of June 1. After reaching the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on May 16, against the normal of May 20, however, the progress of monsoon has been erratic. It stalled for two days after its onset over the Andaman. It got stalled for five days from May 18-22, and four more days (May 23-26).

Highlighting that India had a record foodgrain production of 376.56 million tonnes (mt) in 2025-26 crop year (July-June), Chouhan credited farmers, government policies and agriculture scientists for the achievement as a result of which the country has surplus food.

He said that ensuring the country’s food security, improving farmers’ livelihoods and providing nutritious diets to the citizens are the Centre’s top priorities, even as agriculture is a State subject. He also asserted that it is imperative to seriously deliberate upon the challenges faced by the States and to devise effective solutions to address them.

He said that the government is considering holding these consultation meetings in each of the eight agro-climatic zones, as categorised by ICAR. He said farming conditions are undergoing rapid changes due to shifting weather patterns and erratic rainfall. Temperatures are consistently rising; often, there are instances of torrential downpours followed by prolonged dry spells.

Chouhan expressed his unhappiness over the absence of some State agriculture ministers. He warned that lack of seriousness at the State level would not be tolerated and that he would write to the Chief Ministers concerned.

Published on May 28, 2026