Foodgrain target cut to 373.93 million tonnes for 2026-27 on El Nino fears

New Delhi: The government has set a lower foodgrain production target of 373.93 million tonnes for the 2026-27 crop year (July-June) amid El Nino concerns. The target is 2.63 million tonnes below the actual output of 376.56 million tonnes in 2025-26, but higher than the 362 million tonnes targeted for that year.

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the target at a two-day national conference here. He said it followed "a scientific assessment of El Nino conditions". The target for the kharif season is 196.21 million tonnes and for rabi 177.72 million tonnes.

Mr Chouhan said water availability, soil moisture and state-wise consultations on cropping patterns were factored in. Rabi planning is under way keeping in view El Nino, drought and floods in parts of the country during the kharif season.

"Our aim is to avoid water-intensive crops in areas that have received low rainfall and where reservoir levels and soil moisture are low," he said. Instead, crops like pulses and oilseeds will be cultivated in those regions.

Paddy acreage has fallen by about 16.32 lakh hectares, the steepest decline among crops. Maize, soybean and cotton have also recorded reductions. Area under urad, bajra, jowar, sesame, sunflower, moong and tur has risen.

Mr Chouhan said this indicated a shift towards pulses and coarse cereals. Acreage has dropped in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat, where heavy rain and floods affected crops on about 6.11 lakh hectares.

The minister said the rainfall deficit is around 12 per cent, below the 20 per cent level at which a situation is considered drought. He said concerns remain in Karnataka, Maharashtra, parts of Andhra Pradesh, parts of Telangana and Rajasthan.

On fertilisers, Mr Chouhan said prices have nearly doubled in some cases but there is no shortage in the country. The requirement for 2026-27 is estimated at 380 lakh tonnes, against an opening stock of over 163 lakh tonnes.

A Central team will visit Karnataka on October 3 at the state's request, he said.

(With inputs from PTI)