15 July 2026, New Delhi: India recorded a 33% rainfall deficit in June, delaying Kharif sowing across several states, but improved rainfall in early July has reduced the overall monsoon deficit to 24%, according to the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.
Addressing the media after a high-level review meeting, Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the number of rainfall-deficient districts has declined from 262 to 178 following improved rainfall in recent days. The government expects monsoon activity to strengthen further during July, supporting faster progress in Kharif sowing.
The Centre is closely monitoring the situation in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal and Odisha, where rainfall conditions remain important for crop establishment.
Kharif Sowing Remains Behind Last Year
As of the review, Kharif crops had been sown over 531.25 lakh hectares, around 101.44 lakh hectares lower than the corresponding period last year. The delayed onset of the southwest monsoon has particularly affected soybean and cotton sowing. This update its as of 13th July from the Ministry of Agrriculture.
To reduce the impact of delayed rainfall, the government has advised farmers in affected regions to shift to short-duration and less water-intensive crops, including maize, pearl millet (bajra) and mung bean (moong) wherever suitable.
Contingency Plans Prepared Before Monsoon
The Agriculture Minister said preparations for a potentially weak monsoon began in April, with the Ministry working alongside the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to prepare district-level contingency plans. These plans were shared with state governments ahead of the Kharif season.
During June, the government’s ‘Khet Bachao Abhiyan’ reached more than 80 lakh farmers through over 1.24 lakh awareness programmes conducted across the country.
Seed Reserve and Credit Support
To ensure seed availability during the delayed planting season, the government has maintained a national seed reserve of around 1.75 lakh quintals.
The Minister also said the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) campaign has been expanded, with more than 94,000 applications approved out of 1.14 lakh applications received by June 30.
The government is also encouraging greater enrolment under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) to provide financial support to farmers in case of weather-related crop losses.
El Niño Monitoring Intensified
With forecasts indicating the possibility of El Niño affecting the remainder of the monsoon season, the Centre has strengthened its monitoring system. The El Niño Monitoring Cell, Crop Weather Watch Group, state-level control rooms and designated officials are tracking rainfall, crop sowing progress, crop conditions and market developments on a continuous basis.
The government said it will continue to monitor the evolving monsoon situation and implement timely interventions to support farmers during the ongoing Kharif season.
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