No major impact of El Nino on agricultural production: Chouhan

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday at a two-day national conference on preparedness for the upcoming Rabi season.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Tuesday (September 29, 2026) that the country’s rainfall deficit is currently around 12% but it is unlikely to affect crop production. Addressing reporters here after the two-day statewide agricultural conference on Rabi crops, the minister ruled out any “major crisis” at the national level due to the prevailing El Nino situation.

However, he announced that the Union government has set a food grain production target of 373.93 million tonnes for 2026-27, which is 2.63 million tonnes less than the actual production of 376.56 million tonnes in 2025-26.

Mr. Chouhan said that while maintaining the Kharif crop would be better than last year, the new target is based on a scientific assessment of El Nino conditions including a target of 177.72 million tonnes for the Rabi season. While actual production in 2025-26 was 376.56 million tonnes, the target was 362 million tonnes.

Zero import duty

The minister said the Center would hold discussions with states to inform farmers about the benefits of various free trade agreements. Since several international markets will be accessible at zero import duty for Indian agricultural products, he said it is important for farmers to know which products are in demand abroad and what quality standards they need to meet to be eligible for export.

“To bridge this gap, the center will launch an awareness campaign that will address global market opportunities, products covered by free trade agreements, export quality requirements and crops, fruits and vegetables that can be grown for overseas markets,” he said.

On the Union government’s recent decision to reduce import duties on various edible oils, he said the Union government will have to strike a balance between the interests of farmers and consumers. “We have to ensure that the people of the country get edible oil at a reasonable price,” he said.

Water absorbing crops

The minister said the aim is to avoid water-intensive crops in areas with low rainfall and low reservoir levels and low soil moisture. “Instead, we intend to grow crops such as pulses and oilseeds in these regions. These targets have been set with these considerations in mind,” he said.

Mr. Chouhan added that there was no dearth of fertilizers in the country and sufficient supplies would be available for the coming Rabi season. He said that although the Kharif area has decreased in some crops, the total area under sowing remains roughly comparable to last year.

“Rainfall deficit is currently around 12%, while the situation is generally considered drought only when the deficit exceeds 20% in the relevant period. I do not believe that this level of deficit will have a significant impact on production,” he said.

The minister said states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Rajasthan are facing drought-like situation. “Detailed reports from states are still awaited,” he said, adding that a central team would visit Karnataka on October 3.

Published – 29 Sep 2026 22:11 IST