What happened
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare reviewed Kharif 2026 sowing progress, monsoon conditions, possible El Niño impact, fertiliser and seed availability, reservoir water storage, and rainfall-deficient districts. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan asked officials to maintain close coordination with state governments and keep special monitoring on areas facing deficient rainfall.
Key points from the review
The review covered crop sowing, rainfall patterns, district-level vulnerability, input supply, and crop-condition indicators such as NDVI. The ministry also examined the forecasts of the India Meteorological Department and the situation in 270 sensitive districts from the rainfall point of view.
Officials informed the meeting that the South-West Monsoon had spread across the entire country by 9 July 2026, covering the remaining parts of Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab. The monsoon usually covers the country by around 8 July, so the nationwide spread was completed one day after the normal date.
The ministry said that the total Kharif sowing area had reached 658.19 lakh hectares by 17 July 2026. The ministry also said that the overall sowing area was lower than last year, even though sowing of paddy, pulses and other crops had shown positive progress in many states.
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- Progress of area coverage under Kharif crops as on 24.07.2026