Claims That El Niño Will Not Have a Severe Impact on Kharif Sowing

20-Apr-2026 06:58 PM

New Delhi: The Central Government has once again reassured farmers across the country that it is fully prepared to address any disruptions that may arise during the sowing of crops in the upcoming Kharif season due to the El Niño weather cycle.

The government anticipates that, overall, El Niño will not have any significant impact on the sowing of Kharif crops—a scenario consistent with trends observed over previous decades.

This optimism stems from the fact that there are ample water reserves available in dams and reservoirs, and irrigation infrastructure has been significantly developed and expanded at the national level.

The Meteorological Department has forecast that, due to the influence of El Niño this year, the Southwest Monsoon is likely to be weaker, with total rainfall expected to fall approximately 8 percentage points below normal levels.

In light of this assessment, the Union Agriculture Minister convened a high-level review meeting regarding the Kharif sowing season, stating that risks would be mitigated through integrated planning and timely interventions.