The Centre will send teams to Karnataka and Maharashtra on October 3 to assess the drought situation as low water availability raises concerns over the remaining Kharif crop and the coming Rabi season, agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday.
He also said he would visit both states with his team to assess the situation.
The immediate concern is water availability for agriculture. Karnataka is also facing a drought situation, he said while speaking at the National Agriculture Conference on Rabi Campaign 2026 in New Delhi.
Maharashtra has already declared a drought at the state level, with nearly two-thirds of the state affected, Chouhan said. Chouhan said that rainfall has been below average and asked states to assess the water available for irrigation and the moisture remaining in the soil before deciding their Rabi crop plans. “Pulses require less water than wheat… so that may be a better option in areas which have seen rainfall stress,” he said.
The government is also concerned about crop conditions in drought-hit states during the ongoing Kharif season. Low soil moisture could affect crop establishment and yields, particularly where sowing is delayed.
Chouhan said, “Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are facing drought-like conditions, and farmers should choose crops based on water availability and soil moisture. “If moisture is low, germination will not be proper and production will also be affected,” Chouhan said. “Every week we review the condition of crops, sowing, market rates and pest attacks so that action can be taken wherever required,” Chouhan said.
