Kharif Crop Crisis Deepens as Monsoon Weakens, Sowing Falls in Maharashtra
By jayesh chouhan 2026-07-21 12:00:05
Kharif crop crisis in many states due to lack of rain, sowing reduced in Maharashtra, farmers of Gujarat-Telangana worried
Slow pace of monsoon and long dry spells in many states of the country have created a crisis for Kharif crops. Farmers in Telangana, Maharashtra and Gujarat are worried about loss of cotton, soybean, groundnut and other kharif crops. Due to lack of continuous rains, the moisture in the fields is decreasing rapidly, which is affecting the growth of crops and also increasing the risk of cost increase for the farmers.
Farmers in Telangana's Adilabad district say late arrival of monsoon and prolonged absence of rains in July have stunted the growth of cotton, soybean and red gram crops. Inspite of light rain, the fields have not been sufficiently moistened. Mora Kishtu, a farmer of Ada village in Zainad mandal, said that he had sown cotton in 20 acres after initial rains in late June, but now timely rains are very important for good yield. Around 4.25 lakh acres of cotton has been cultivated in the district this Kharif season, but drought-like conditions have increased farmers' worries.
In Maharashtra too, the pace of kharif sowing has slowed down due to the effects of El Nino and weak monsoon. According to the Agriculture Department, only 86.92 lakh hectares or 60 percent of the state's 144.36 lakh hectare agricultural area has been sown till July 15, 2026, while this figure was 84 percent during the same period last year. Due to the lack of rain in many areas, farmers have to re-sow, which increases the cost of production. Soybean and cotton are the most sown in the state, while Marathwada, Vidarbha and Konkan are among the worst affected regions.
Jessar and nearby villages of Bhavnagar district of Gujarat have also not received enough rain for the last 15 to 20 days. Farmers had completed sowing of cotton and groundnut after initial good rains, but now the plants have started drying up due to lack of moisture in the fields. Farmers who do not have irrigation facilities are the most affected. Farmers say that if there is no good rain in the next four-five days, the cotton and groundnut crops may suffer heavy losses. Farmers of all the three states are now waiting for good rains on time, as the rains in the coming days will decide the status of Kharif crops.
