NEW DELHI, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- India's federal government is closely coordinating with relevant institutions, including the India Meteorological Department (IMD), to continuously monitor the evolving monsoon situation and the possible impact of El Nino conditions on the agricultural sector, a senior official said on Tuesday.
The sowing operations for Kharif (monsoon season crops) 2026-27 are still underway in Tamil Nadu and the first advance estimates for all major Kharif crops in the 2026-27 agricultural year (July-June) have not yet been released, said Ramnath Thakur, the federal junior agriculture minister, in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament.
According to Thakur, the government has laid special emphasis on promoting drought-resilient agriculture through crop diversification, cultivation of short-duration and drought-tolerant crop varieties, balanced use of fertilizers, water conservation practices, micro-irrigation, mulching, inter-cropping and other climate-resilient technologies.
"In view of the anticipated impact of El Nino conditions during Kharif 2026, farmers have been advised to shift from crops likely to be affected to other short-duration crops," he said.
The minister said the government has strengthened preparedness to safeguard farmers against potential crop losses, particularly in view of the anticipated El Nino conditions during Kharif 2026.
Officials said IMD continuously monitors the evolution of oceanic and atmospheric conditions and issues regular seasonal and monthly forecasts and advisories. ■