India urges crop shift for monsoon planting as rains falter
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The authorities in India have identified 315 districts vulnerable to below-normal rainfall, including 111 high-priority areas with limited irrigation coverage.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- India urges farmers in rain-fed areas to shift to less water-intensive crops like pulses, oilseeds and millets due to a potentially weak monsoon.
- Authorities are preparing for rainfall deficit by identifying vulnerable districts, creating contingency plans and boosting water conservation efforts.
- Despite a 42 per cent rainfall deficit, ample rice and wheat stockpiles limit immediate food security threats.
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India is urging farmers in rain-fed areas with limited irrigation to shift to less water-intensive crops such as pulses, oilseeds and millets as the authorities prepare for a potentially weak monsoon that could weigh on agricultural output.
The push by the Farm Ministry is part of a broader effort to prepare for the 2026 monsoon planting season after rainfall since June 1 has run 42 per cent below normal, prompting New Delhi to step up coordination with states to safeguard farm output and rural incomes.
The authorities have identified 315 districts vulnerable to below-normal rainfall, including 111 high-priority areas with limited irrigation coverage, the ministry said on June 23 after Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan held a virtual review with state officials.
District-level contingency plans will guide crop choices, water management and emergency responses if rainfall remains deficient, the ministry said.
The government is stepping up water-conservation efforts, including repairs to ponds, reservoirs, check dams and farm storage structures, while monitoring reservoir levels across river basins, it added. States have also been asked to prepare contingency plans for drinking water and irrigation supplies, the ministry said.
New Delhi is also expanding access to crop insurance, farm credit and income-support programmes. Rice and wheat stockpiles remain ample, the ministry added, limiting any immediate threat to food security despite concerns over a weak monsoon. BLOOMBERG
