**Executive Summary**
On June 16, 2026, Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan chaired a high-level review meeting to finalize preparations for the Kharif 2026 season and develop strategies to mitigate potential El Niño impacts. The meeting prioritized achieving self-reliance in pulses, launching a mission-mode campaign for cotton production, and ensuring the timely availability of fertilisers. Key action items include the implementation of district-wise contingency plans and the establishment of weekly review meetings to safeguard agricultural interests against adverse weather.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**El Niño and Contingency Planning**
* **Monitoring:** Weekly high-level meetings will be held to monitor the El Niño situation and its impact on agriculture.
* **Risk Identification:** Special attention will be directed toward 9–10 states and specific districts predicted to face low or uneven rainfall.
* **District-Level Strategy:** District Magistrates and state governments must prepare crop-wise contingency plans and practical strategies for every risk-prone district.
* **Agricultural Techniques:** Emphasis is placed on water conservation, moisture management, inter-cropping, and alternative crop patterns to provide farmers with immediate alternatives.
**Mission-Mode Crop Initiatives**
* **Cotton Production:** A mission-mode campaign will be launched to boost productivity and farmer income through scientific methods, variety selection, and mulching.
* **Pulse Self-Reliance:** The "Self-Reliance in Pulses Mission" aims to reduce import dependence by increasing the production of pigeon pea, black gram, and moong through area expansion and better seed availability.
**Resource and Supply Chain Management**
* **Fertiliser Availability:** While national stocks are sufficient, officials are directed to ensure efficient micro-level supply and distribution as the monsoon progresses.
* **Market and Storage Monitoring:** The government is actively reviewing mandi prices, reservoir levels, and state-wise stocks to prevent shortages.
**Extension Services and Coordination**
* **Knowledge Transfer:** Enhanced coordination is required between agricultural universities, ICAR institutions, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), and state departments.
* **Communication:** Authorities must provide calm, scientific, and solution-oriented advice to farmers through awareness campaigns to build confidence and preparedness.
**Impact Analysis**
**Farmers**
**Impact**
Farmers in risk-prone districts may face water scarcity or uneven rainfall due to El Niño but will gain access to alternative crop options and scientific support.
**Action Required**
Adopt suggested inter-cropping patterns, moisture conservation measures, and scientific methods for cotton and pulse cultivation.
**District Magistrates and Local Agriculture Departments**
**Impact**
These officials are now responsible for localized contingency planning and executing awareness campaigns.
**Action Required**
Identify high-risk areas, hold coordinated meetings with KVKs, and ensure that technical advice and fertilisers reach the ground level in advance.
**Agricultural Research Institutions (ICAR, KVKs, and Universities)**
**Impact**
There is an increased demand for technical expertise and "mission-mode" support for cotton and pulse production.
**Action Required**
Collaborate closely with state departments to ensure technical knowledge is practical and easily adoptable by farmers.
**Central and State Government Officials**
**Impact**
Required to shift to a weekly review cycle and ensure seamless logistics for fertiliser distribution.
**Action Required**
Maintain continuous dialogue and monitoring of stocks, reservoir levels, and micro-level supply chains to prevent agricultural disruption.
Key Entities Referenced
Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan: Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare who led the high-level review meeting and directed strategic initiatives for the Kharif season.
Self-Reliance in Pulses Mission: A government initiative aimed at achieving 'Atmanirbharta' in pulses such as pigeon pea, black gram, and moong to reduce import dependency.
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare: The central ministry overseeing agricultural preparations, fertiliser distribution, and the implementation of contingency plans across states.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR): The national body responsible for coordinating agricultural research and providing the technical knowledge required for crop-wise contingency planning.
Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs): District-level agricultural extension centers tasked with conducting awareness campaigns and providing technical guidance to farmers.
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan holds
high-level meeting in Delhi and reviews overall
agriculture sector
“Strategy to deal with El Niño, weekly meetings will be held”:
Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan
“Special attention will be given to districts likely to be more
affected by El Niño and meetings of District Magistrates will
be held”: Shri Shivraj Singh
Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan reviews district-
wise contingency plans and fertiliser availability in detail
Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan directs to launch a mission-mode
campaign to increase cotton production
Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan lays special
emphasis on achieving the goal of ‘Self-Reliant India in
Pulses’
प्रव तथ: 16 JUN 2026 4:26PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh
Chouhan today held a high-level weekly agriculture review meeting at Krishi Bhavan in New Delhi, and
conducted a detailed review of preparations across the country for the Kharif 2026 season. Along with
this, in the context of possible El Niño conditions, he placed special emphasis on increasing cotton
production, achieving self-reliance (atmanirbharta) in pulses and advance contingency plans for low-
rainfall districts and gave a clear message that protecting farmers’ interests is the government’s top priority
under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The meeting focused on ensuring that all
necessary steps are taken well in advance to safeguard agriculture and farmers from any adverse weather
conditions that may arise during the season.In the meeting, while discussing the possible El Niño situation, Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj
Singh Chouhan gave clear directions that full preparations should be made in advance in those districts
where there is a possibility of low rainfall or uneven rainfall. He said that such districts should be clearly
identified and crop-wise contingency plans should be prepared in coordination with state governments so
that in any weather challenge situation, farmers can be provided immediate alternatives, advice and
support. He strongly emphasised that special attention should be given to water conservation, moisture
management, inter-cropping and alternative crop patterns and a separate and practical strategy should be
made for every risk-prone district so that farmers do not face any difficulty during the Kharif season and
can continue their farming activities smoothly without any major problems.Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan also directed that in the 9-10 states where the impact of El Niño may be
relatively higher, coordinated meetings should be organised with District Magistrates, Agriculture
Departments, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and other extension systems of the identified districts. He
said that in these meetings, the entire situation at the district level should be made clear and awareness
campaigns should be carried out among farmers so that every farmer knows what precautions and which
crop options are safer for his area. Shri Shivraj Singh said that instead of exaggerating the danger, a calm,
trustworthy and solution-oriented message based on scientific analysis should reach the farmers, and this
is the government’s priority. This approach will help build confidence among farmers and ensure better
preparedness for the upcoming season.
During the review of crop-wise targets, sowing progress and state-wise preparations for Kharif 2026,
special discussion was held on increasing cotton production. Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan stressed on
promoting scientific methods, selection of right varieties, inter-cropping, mulching and moisture
conservation measures on a large scale so that both productivity and income from cotton improve
significantly. He directed officials to work in mission mode for this purpose and ensure that all possible
steps are taken to boost cotton output this season so that farmers get better returns from their efforts.
Detailed deliberations were also held on the Self-Reliance in Pulses Mission. Union Minister Shri Shivraj
Singh informed that the government’s effort is to make the country more self-reliant in pulses like pigeon
pea, black gram and moong and reduce dependence on imports. For this, special attention is being given in
coordination with states on crop cycles, area expansion, better seed availability and technical guidance so
that farmers can increase pulses production along with secured income. This mission is very important for
reducing import dependence and strengthening domestic production of pulses in a sustainable manner.
During the review, information was also presented on fertiliser availability, mandi prices in the market,
status of reservoirs and water storage and state-wise stocks. Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh
said that fertiliser is available at the national level and as the pace of monsoon increases, supply to states
and districts will be made even more efficient. For this, he gave directions to officials and also stressed
that wherever there is any possibility of shortage at the micro level, supply should be ensured in advance
so that farmers do not face any difficulty at any stage of the farming season and can carry out their
activities without worry.Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan also emphasised better coordination between
agricultural universities, institutions affiliated to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, KVKs and
state agriculture departments. He said that technical knowledge is meaningful only when it reaches the
fields on time and farmers can adopt it easily and take advantage of it. He told officials that only through
continuous dialogue, regular review and ground-level feedback can the Kharif 2026 season be made
secure and successful. This coordination will play a key role in the overall success of the season and help
achieve better results for farmers across the country in a timely and effective manner.
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