New Delhi: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday reviewed the progress of Kharif crop sowing, monsoon conditions, rainfall deficit, and the availability of seeds and fertilisers, directing officials to closely monitor drought-prone areas and coordinate with state governments.
As of July 17, Kharif crops have been sown across 658.19 lakh hectares. While the overall sowing area is lower than last year, paddy, pulses, and several other crops have shown encouraging progress in many states.
The meeting also assessed the impact of possible El Niño conditions, rainfall in 270 sensitive districts, reservoir water levels, and crop health. Chouhan directed weekly review meetings with states under the pulses, oilseeds, and cotton missions to ensure timely action based on field feedback.
Officials informed the meeting that the southwest monsoon covered the entire country by July 9, just one day later than the normal schedule.
Between June 1 and July 15, India received 227 mm of rainfall, 23% below the seasonal average of 294.2 mm. The highest rainfall deficit of 36% was recorded in East and Northeast India, followed by Southern Peninsular India (26%), Northwest India (19%), and Central India (13%).
The minister instructed officials to maintain continuous monitoring of rainfall and implement contingency measures in coordination with state governments wherever required.
