Improved Rainfall to Accelerate Kharif Sowing: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
By jayesh chouhan 2026-07-10 11:57:18
Improved Rainfall to Accelerate Kharif Sowing: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
New Delhi, July 8, 2026: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated that the monsoon situation in the country is improving, which is expected to accelerate the sowing of Kharif crops. Speaking after a high-level meeting held in New Delhi on Wednesday to review the El Niño situation, he noted that the rainfall deficit, which stood at 33 percent in June, has narrowed to 24 percent in July. Thanks to good rainfall in several parts of the country recently, the number of districts facing a rainfall deficit has also dropped from 262 to 178.
In a statement, the Ministry of Agriculture said that the government is tackling the situation with full preparedness, a clear strategy, and effective action on the ground. According to the Ministry, while challenges persist, the entire machinery is already active to mitigate their impact.
The Minister stated that the Central Government is continuously monitoring the rainfall and Kharif sowing situation in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, and Odisha. He expressed confidence that rainfall would improve further in July, thereby boosting the pace of Kharif sowing.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan informed that Kharif crops have been sown across 350.85 lakh hectares so far, which is approximately 91.95 lakh hectares less than the area covered during the same period last year. He noted that the delayed arrival of the monsoon has most significantly impacted the sowing of soybean and cotton. Farmers have been advised to cultivate short-duration and low-water-consuming crops—such as maize, pearl millet (bajra), and moong (green gram)—in light of the delayed rainfall, so that potential losses can be minimized.
The Minister added that the government had initiated preparations to tackle this challenge as early as April. Emergency action plans for potentially affected districts were prepared in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and shared with state governments in a timely manner. Additionally, under the 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' (Save the Farm Campaign) launched in June, over 1.24 lakh programs were organized across the country, directly reaching more than 80 lakh farmers.
