Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday asked state governments to brace for possible low rainfall or other challenging weather conditions in view of El Nino threat and the IMD forecast of a below-normal monsoon this year.
He said the Union agriculture ministry is chalking out contingency plans to deal with any eventuality and asserted that there is adequate availability of seeds and fertilisers to meet demand during the upcoming Kharif (summer-sown) season that will begin from June with the onset of southwest monsoon.
"We are monitoring El-Nino phenomenon. We are not sure as of now but if such a situation arises and if there is any delay in monsoon or gap in rains, we are making preparation to deal with it," he told reporters on the concluding day of the National Agriculture Conference - Kharif Campaign 2026.
El Niño is a weather pattern caused by the unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean, which disrupts global weather and typically leads to weaker monsoons and droughts in India.
Chouhan asserted that his ministry is fully prepared to deal with any eventuality.
He also urged "states to remain prepared at the district level for low rainfall or other challenging conditions", an official statement said.
When asked about the IMD latest forecast on Friday, the minister said, "We are making preparation".
The June-September southwest monsoon seasonal rainfall over India is expected to be 90 per cent of the long-period average with a model error of 4 per cent, the India Meteorological Department said on Friday
Stating that seeds are the most important input for successful crop, he said the government has adequate availability of seeds.
As against the total demand of 173 lakh quintals, there is a stock 192 lakh quintals.
The Union minister asked States to lift these seeds and provide them to farmers in a timely manner.
Chouhan said a buffer stock of 1.74 lakh quintals will be maintained by National Seed Corporation, to deal with emergency situations so that seeds can be supplied immediately to affected regions whenever required.
Fertilisers stock is also at 200 lakh tonnes as of now as against the total Kharif demand of 390 lakh tonnes.
He informed that 20 state agriculture ministers are attending this event along with government officials, ICAR scientists, representatives from agriculture universities to discuss the strategies for the upcoming Kharif season.
According to an official statement, Chouhan asked states to personally review the implementation of the Pulses Mission, Oilseeds Mission, Cotton Mission and other major agricultural campaigns.
He called upon scientists to undertake faster, practical and demand-driven research aligned with farmers' needs.
Special emphasis was laid on developing short-duration and more suitable crop varieties, particularly for tur, soybean and oilseed crops.
On concerns about fake seeds, substandard pesticides and defective agricultural inputs, Chouhan asked States to intensify inspections, increase sampling, establish accredited laboratories and ensure strict action against offenders until final conviction.
He said Soil Health Cards should not remain mere documents, but must be actively utilised at the field level to help farmers understand nutrient deficiencies and appropriate fertiliser application.
He urged states to encourage balanced fertiliser use through the 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' campaign to be held from June 1 to June 30.
Describing Farmer ID as the foundation of a transparent, targeted and efficient future farmer service system, Chouhan stressed the need for transparency in fertiliser distribution, prevention of black marketing and ensuring proper supply to genuine farmers.
The Union Minister asked every state to prepare its own agriculture roadmap based on agro-climatic conditions, available resources and local potential.
On agricultural credit and Kisan Credit Cards, the Union Minister stated that timely access to capital is critical for profitable farming. He acknowledged that while some states have performed well in agricultural credit flow, many parts of eastern and northeastern India still lag behind.
He announced that discussions with banks would soon be held to expand access to agricultural credit in coordination with states.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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