The Centre will make district-wise contingency plans to counter any adverse impact of El Nino, but so far there is nothing to worry about as the IMD has not come out with its final forecast for the 2026 monsoon season, said Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Addressing the two-day National Kharif Conference, Chouhan said given India’s vast geographical and climatic diversity, the government has expanded the consultation process beyond the National Agriculture Conference and has now started organising Regional Conferences as well.
“Separate missions have been created for pulses and oilseeds, and extensive discussions will be held with states on improving seed quality, increasing seed replacement rates, demonstrations and strengthening processing infrastructure,” he said.
“Three regional conferences have already been held in Jaipur, Lucknow and Bhubaneswar. Two more conferences are proposed for the North-East and southern India, with dates to be finalised soon,” he said.
“When discussions are held in smaller groups with states, it becomes possible to deliberate in detail on the specific issues and requirements of each state,” he said.
The Minister further stated that the government is also considering organising regional conferences based on agro-climatic zones in the future.
Notably, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has indicated a probable return of El Nino conditions as early as May-July.
Chouhan said that due to the hard work of farmers, policy support from the Central Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, scientific research, and cooperation from states, India has surpassed all previous records in foodgrain production this year.
He underlined the importance of adequate financing for agriculture, stating that farmers require support not only for crop production but also for post-harvest management and risk protection.
The minister further noted that agricultural credit distribution remains uneven across states, with some states receiving significantly lower agricultural credit than others.
“If farmers have access to Kisan Credit Cards and sufficient investment capital, they will be able to undertake better farming practices,” he said.