Kharif output under threat as excess rains hit standing crops

Harvesting, rabi sowing delayed in many places

- SANDIP DAS

EXCESS RAINS IN western and eastern parts of the country since mid-August have inflicted considerable damage to standing crops in many areas, and may necessitate a significant downward revision of the record crop estimate for kharif 2025-26.

With the fields filled with silt in many areas, harvesting of kharif crops has slowed and rabi sowing may get delayed.

Though no precise estimate of the crop losses has yet been made, the extent of damage is the largest in Maharashtra, where nearly half of the crop area has come under floods (see chart). Production of paddy, soyabean, tur, urad, sugarcane, bajra and cotton could be impacted, according to sources from the farming and trading communities in different regions.

Moreover, there are concerns about more rains in the coming days, with the weather department indicating heavy rainfall over Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada, Telangana and coastal Andhra Pradesh till September 30. A fresh low-pressure area is likely to form over north and adjoining central Bay of Bengal on Thursday.