No major impact of El Nino on agricultural production: Chouhan
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated that the current 12% rainfall deficit will not significantly impact national crop production. The government has set a foodgrain production target of 373.93 million tonnes for 2026-27 and plans to launch awareness campaigns regarding export opportunities.
Why it matters
Food security and agricultural export strategies are critical to India's economic stability and the livelihoods of its large farming population.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday (September 29, 2026) said the country’s rainfall deficit is currently around 12% , but it is unlikely to impact crop production. Addressing reporters after a two-day national agricultural conference on Rabi crops here, the Minister ruled out any “major crisis” at the national level due to the prevailing El Nino situation .
However, he announced that the Union government has set a foodgrain production target of 373.93 million tonne for 2026-27, which is 2.63 million tonne less than the actual production of 376.56 million tonne in 2025-26.
Mr. Chouhan said that while maintaining the Kharif harvest will be better than last year, the new target is based on a scientific assessment of El Nino conditions including a target of 177.72 million tonne for the Rabi season. While the actual production in 2025-26 was 376.56 million tonne, the target was 362 million tonne.
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