Delayed Monsoon Increases Agricultural Risk in Gujarat; Crop Loss Compensation Exceeds ₹22,700 Crore Over a Decade
A weak start to the monsoon in Gujarat has heightened concerns among farmers. By June 16, the state recorded rainfall 83 percent below normal, with the deficit reaching 100 percent in nine districts of the Saurashtra region. This situation indicates that the monsoon's arrival in the state has not only been delayed but has also been uneven and weak. Consequently, there are growing fears of an adverse impact on the sowing and early growth stages of Kharif crops.
Despite the rainfall deficit, farmers have commenced sowing operations. So far, Kharif crops have been sown across approximately 4.27 lakh hectares, representing about 5 percent of the normal Kharif acreage. Cotton and groundnut are the primary crops; farmers have sown cotton on roughly 2.39 lakh hectares and groundnut on 1.36 lakh hectares. However, if adequate rainfall does not occur in the coming days, these early crops could face moisture stress, potentially affecting both germination and overall yield.
The current situation is part of a broader pattern of increasing climate uncertainty in the state. According to government data, the Gujarat government has distributed a total of ₹22,733 crore in compensation to farmers for crop losses between the 2016 and 2026 fiscal years. This amount was disbursed to offset losses caused by unseasonal rain, excessive rainfall, cyclonic storms, and other weather-related disasters.
A significant rise in relief payouts has been observed over the decade. Compensation stood at just ₹279 crore in the 2016 fiscal year, rising to ₹2,906 crore by the 2021 fiscal year. By the 2026 fiscal year, the figure had surged to a record ₹10,337 crore. Approximately 46 percent of the total relief amount was disbursed in the 2026 fiscal year alone, highlighting the severity of weather-related losses in recent years.
Over the past decade, around 1.36 crore farmers have received assistance for crop losses; this figure includes many farmers who received relief on more than one occasion across different years. Of the total relief amount, ₹15,829 crore was provided through the SDRF, while ₹6,904 crore came from the state government's budget. These figures clearly indicate that climate risks are becoming an increasingly significant challenge for the agricultural sector, thereby intensifying the economic burden on both farmers and the state.
