The government said on Saturday that the threat posed by a potential El Niño this year was unlikely to cause major damage to agriculture, citing stronger irrigation systems, larger stocks and better preparedness than in past drought-related years.The confirmation came after Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan chaired a review meeting ahead of the kharif planting season, which begins with the onset of the southwest monsoon in June and contributes a large share of India’s annual agricultural production, according to PTI.“Farmers need not have any fears,” Chouhan said at the meeting, according to a ministry statement, adding that the government was moving forward “with full preparedness.”The statement added: “Despite the potential impact of the El Niño phenomenon, its impact on the agricultural sector is likely to remain relatively limited compared to previous cases.”The Indian Meteorological Department expected monsoon rains below normal this year, at about 92% of the long-term average, and indicated the possibility of El Niño conditions developing during the season. Final forecasts are expected in late May.
Tank stocks across the country are currently at 127 percent of the normal level for this time of year, providing a large cushion for irrigation during the crop season, officials said.Seed stocks for both the Kharif season and the following Rabi season have been secured beyond requirements, with emergency reserves kept ready in case farmers need to replant or move crops due to bad weather.Officials at the meeting compared current preparedness to El Niño events between 2000 and 2016, when crop losses were more severe because farmers relied more on rainfall and had fewer tools to deal with climate shocks.Since then, India has expanded micro-irrigation coverage, introduced climate-resilient seed varieties, and improved early warning systems, the government said.Rice, the main kharif crop, has been specifically noted as showing greater resilience, while contingency plans are being prepared for crops considered more vulnerable to rainfall deficiency.Chouhan directed states to activate emergency plans at the district level and asked officials to promote drought-tolerant seeds and delay sowing strategies if conditions worsen.The crop and weather monitoring mechanism is already operational, with the Center and states regularly coordinating to take rapid response measures, the ministry said.The El Niño phenomenon is a periodic rise of surface water in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, often disrupting monsoon patterns in South Asia, and has historically been associated with poor rainfall in India.India is the second largest producer of rice and wheat in the world, and agricultural production directly affects the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people.
