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El Nino Threatens Wheat, Mustard, Oil-Pulses; Government on Alert for Rabi Crops
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News18•28-09-2026, 15:02
El Nino Threatens Wheat, Mustard, Oil-Pulses; Government on Alert for Rabi Crops
- •El Nino raises concerns for Rabi crops, prompting government alert.
- •Agriculture Secretary Atish Chandra states upcoming Rabi season could be challenging, especially for rain-fed areas.
- •Yields of wheat, mustard, pulses, and oilseeds could be affected by disrupted rainfall patterns.
- •Wheat and mustard sowing begins in October, but El Nino could disturb weather conditions.
- •Both insufficient and excessive rain pose risks to crops, potentially impacting food supply and prices.
Key Questions Answered
El Nino is expected to disrupt weather patterns, creating challenges for the Rabi season, especially in rain-dependent areas where insufficient rainfall or excessive soil moisture could jeopardize crops like wheat, mustard, pulses, and oilseeds.
Rabi crops are typically sown across approximately 638 lakh hectares of land, which includes over 300 lakh hectares for wheat, 140 lakh hectares for pulses, 87 lakh hectares for oilseeds, and 55 lakh hectares for coarse grains.
A decrease in Rabi production could negatively impact the supply and prices of essential food items like wheat, pulses, and edible oils in the market, since India already needs to import certain quantities of pulses and oilseeds.
