Centre Steps Up El Nino Preparedness, Crop Watch Teams Formed As Fertiliser Stocks Rise Above Requirement

New Delhi: With forecasts pointing to a below-normal monsoon due to El Nino conditions, the Centre has stepped up measures to protect the kharif crop season. The Agriculture Ministry has formed a crop weather watch group and a crisis management group to closely monitor the situation and reduce risks to farmers.

The announcement was made during an inter-ministerial briefing on Monday, which also reviewed food and fertiliser security in view of recent developments in West Asia.

States Told to Keep Seed Reserves Ready

The Centre has asked all states to maintain a seed reserve of 1% and focus on short and medium-duration crop varieties that can better withstand weather-related disruptions.

According to officials, the crop weather watch group meets every Monday to assess rainfall patterns, sowing progress, reservoir levels, availability of farm inputs, pest attacks and price trends.

A separate crisis management group comprising relief commissioners and state disaster management authorities has also been established.

Fertiliser Stocks Higher Than Requirement

The government said fertiliser stocks are currently at 51% of the kharif season requirement, significantly higher than the usual 33% level maintained at this time of the year.

The Agriculture Ministry has also prepared district-level contingency plans with the help of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and is holding regular video conferences with state officials.

Keeping the El Nino forecast in mind, the ministry has revised fertiliser demand estimates. Urea demand for the kharif 2026-27 season has been reduced by 4 lakh tonne to 194 lakh tonne. Demand for di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) has been cut by 6 lakh tonne to 60 lakh tonne.

Food Stocks Comfortable, Prices Stable

Domestic fertiliser production after the West Asia crisis stood at 104.81 lakh tonne, while imports totalled 27.62 lakh tonne, taking overall availability to about 132.43 lakh tonne.

Officials said India has secured 25 lakh tonne of urea and 50 lakh tonne of DAP from suppliers outside the Strait of Hormuz, with shipments expected in June and July.

On the food front, wheat stocks stood at 513 lakh tonne against the buffer norm of 275 lakh tonne as on July 1. Rice stocks were at 397 lakh tonne, much higher than the required 135 lakh tonne.

The government also said prices of cereals, pulses and sugar remain stable. Potato, onion and tomato prices are moving within a normal range, while edible oil supplies continue to remain adequate through regular imports from several countries.