El Niño Activity Poses a Threat to Upcoming Rabi Crops

New Delhi. The activity of the El Niño weather cycle is expected to impact the sowing, growth, yield rates, total production, and quality of various crops during the upcoming Rabi season, particularly in rain-fed areas. Crops such as wheat, pulses, and oilseeds are especially at risk. Sowing for Rabi crops is set to begin soon.

According to the Union Agriculture Secretary, El Niño could lead to a decline in Rabi food grain production across the country. Addressing a two-day National Rabi Conference in New Delhi, the Agriculture Secretary noted that the current Kharif season has been quite challenging, with crops facing difficulties—particularly in rain-fed regions. Many states struggled to meet sowing targets and subsequently faced an uphill battle to maintain crop health. Somehow, the sowing of Kharif crops was completed.

Sowing for Rabi crops—including wheat, mustard, and others—will commence next month (October) and continue for the following three to four months. Crops such as gram (chickpea), lentil, pea, and barley are also cultivated on a large scale during the Rabi season. Additionally, certain crops that are grown during the Kharif season are also sown during the Rabi season; these primarily include moong (green gram), urad (black gram), maize, sorghum (jowar), groundnut, and sesame. However, the heavy rainfall in September is expected to provide some assistance to farmers in the sowing of Rabi crops.