Inadequate Rainfall Damages Kharif Crops, Deepening Farmers’ Distress

06-Nov-2025 10:42 AM

Mumbai. The delayed southwest monsoon and continued rains during the harvesting and harvesting season in September and October have damaged Kharif crops in various states across the country.

This is likely to weaken the rural economy. The recent Cyclone Montha, which brought heavy winds and torrential rains in states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, also damaged crops.

Heavy rainfall in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat, along with some other states, during October, further exacerbated farmers' hardship.

The weakening of the rural economy and the decline in farmers' purchasing power are likely to partially impact demand and consumption of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG).

Industry and business analysts say that the damage to crops caused by heavy rainfall and waterlogging in fields should neither be ignored nor underestimated.

Furthermore, government procurement in major pulse and oilseed producing states began very late, forcing farmers to sell their produce at significantly lower prices.

Among pulses, mung beans, black gram, and pigeon pea, and among oilseeds, soybean, peanuts, and sesame crops have been adversely affected by natural disasters. Floods persisted in states like Punjab, Rajasthan, and Telangana until September, damaging the mung bean crop in Rajasthan.

FMCG companies will need to adjust their business strategies to find alternative solutions to offset the decline in rural sales. In addition to crop damage, product quality has also been impacted in many regions. Therefore, the supply and availability of high-quality goods may decrease, potentially impacting product costs.