The Centre will send teams to Karnataka and Maharashtra on October 3 to assess the drought situation as low water availability raises concerns over the remaining Kharif crop and the coming Rabi season, agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday. He also said he would visit both states with his team to assess the situation.
Maharashtra has already declared a drought at the state level, with nearly two-thirds of the state affected, Chouhan said. Karnataka is also facing a drought situation, he said while speaking at the National Agriculture Conference on Rabi Campaign 2026 in New Delhi.
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The immediate concern is water availability for agriculture. Chouhan said that rainfall has been below average and asked states to assess the water available for irrigation and the moisture remaining in the soil before deciding their Rabi crop plans.
Rabi sowing to be linked to water availability
The Centre asked states to prepare a “water budget” before finalising their Rabi crop plans. Areas with less water should opt for crops such as pulses and oilseeds that require less irrigation, while water-intensive crops should be planned only where sufficient irrigation is available.
“Pulses require less water than wheat... so that may be a better option in areas which have seen rainfall stress,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“Pulses require less water than wheat... so that may be a better option in areas which have seen rainfall stress,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}The Centre is also pushing states to bring more land under pulses and oilseeds after the Kharif paddy harvest. Chouhan asked states to finalise their Rabi targets for crops including gram, lentil and mustard and make arrangements for their procurement.
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Drought could affect Kharif output
The government is also concerned about crop conditions in drought-hit states during the ongoing Kharif season. Chouhan said, “Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are facing drought-like conditions, and farmers should choose crops based on water availability and soil moisture.”
Low soil moisture could affect crop establishment and yields, particularly where sowing is delayed. “If moisture is low, germination will not be proper and production will also be affected,” Chouhan said.
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The Centre will use the field assessments in Karnataka and Maharashtra to get a clearer picture of the drought situation, while states have been asked to monitor crop conditions, sowing, germination and pest attacks every week.
“Every week we review the condition of crops, sowing, market rates and pest attacks so that action can be taken wherever required,” Chouhan said.