Early monsoon rains in India raise hopes of a bumper grain crop

Rains were 9% above normal in June, the IMD said in its latest assessment

Early and widespread monsoon rains in India have accelerated the sowing of rice, oilseeds and pulses, boosting the country’s chances of record grain harvest this year, according to the farm ministry’s top bureaucrat.

With rains arriving ahead of schedule in many regions, farmers have been able to begin sowing earlier than usual, Farm Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi said. If that continues at a normal pace through the critical months to September, it could benefit both the current crops and the upcoming winter harvest, he said.

India, the world’s second-largest producer of rice, wheat, and sugarcane, depends heavily on the annual monsoon to irrigate more than half of its farmland — and those rains directly affect crop yields, rural incomes and inflation. Above-average precipitation not only supports food security for the nation’s 1.4 billion people but is also vital for lifting economic growth and stabilizing global agricultural markets.

Chaturvedi ruled out concerns about fertilizer shortages this season. Supplies of urea, di-ammonium phosphate and potash are sufficient, he said, despite India’s dependence on imports for part of its requirements. Seed availability is also being closely monitored to ensure that farmers receive certified, high-quality materials, he added.

“If the rains stay favorable through September, this could be a record year for Indian agriculture,” Chaturvedi said, referring to both monsoon and winter crops.

India is forecast to receive above-normal rainfall in July, the wettest month of the monsoon season, according to the India Meteorological Department. Rains were 9% above normal in June, it said.

Despite farmers’ preference for rice, encouraged by minimum support prices and additional state bonuses, the government is also eager to diversify production.

For pulses, such as pigeon pea, black gram and lentils, the government has guaranteed minimum support prices for four years, in order to stabilize supplies and support farmers, Chaturvedi said. The national ethanol blending program, meanwhile, is encouraging increased corn cultivation, he added.

Authorities are also promoting the cultivation of geographical indication-tagged specialty rice varieties, such as Kalanamak, which can command higher prices in overseas markets, Chaturvedi said.