Although various parts of the country have been affected by El Niño, drought, and floods, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has expressed confidence that the Kharif crop yield will not decline in the current year.
A two-day national seminar was held in Delhi regarding preparedness for the upcoming Rabi crop yield. Following this, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told reporters on Tuesday:
Amid challenges arising from the climate phenomenon known as El Niño, which affects monsoon rainfall in India, planning is underway for the Rabi crop harvest. The central government began detailed preparatory work for this as early as last April.
The target for Rabi food grain production for the 2026-27 crop year has been fixed at 177.72 million tonnes. This is higher than the actual crop output of 174.51 million tonnes. Wheat is the most important crop in the Rabi season.
In the current year, although the area under kharif crop cultivation has decreased for some crops, the overall sown area remains the same as last year. The rainfall deficit currently stands at 12 percent. Drought conditions prevail in some areas.
Although various parts of the country have been affected by El Niño, drought, and floods, I do not believe that kharif crop production will be affected in the current year. The foodgrain production target for the kharif season in the 2026-27 crop year has been set at 196.21 million tonnes. This is higher than the 174.14 million tonnes produced last year.
The area under paddy cultivation in the country has decreased by 16.32 lakh hectares. Similarly, the land area under cultivation for crops such as maize, soybeans, and cotton has also declined. However, the area under cultivation for crops like millet and sesame has increased.
The extent of land under cultivation has decreased in the states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. In these states, heavy rains and floods have reduced crop cultivation by 6.11 lakh hectares.
With the impact of El Niño expected to be greater in the latter part of this year, the Central Government has held detailed discussions with state governments regarding crop yields.
Although rainfall across the country has currently decreased by 12 percent, there is no major crisis at the national level. Only the two states of Karnataka and Maharashtra have been affected to a large extent by this. Similarly, some parts of Andhra Pradesh, including Rayalaseema, some parts of Telangana, and some parts of Rajasthan have been affected by the shortage of rainfall.
We are waiting for detailed reports on this from these states. Accepting Karnataka’s request, the central team will visit that state on October 3 to study the rainfall. The Maharashtra Chief Minister has requested that a similar team be sent to his state as well. A team will be sent to that state too.
The central government will ensure that farmers receive timely information about the agreements India has entered into with various countries regarding food grain exports. This will enable them to learn about food grain export opportunities, he said.
