El Nino and dry June threaten India's kharif rice output
India's rice output is set to drop this kharif season, thanks to a super dry June and El Nino messing with the monsoon.
The India Meteorological Department says last month was the driest in more than 10 years, with rainfall nearly 40% below average: bad news for paddy fields that count on rain.
Indian paddy sowing 2.57 million hectares
By late June, farmers had sown paddy on just 2.57 million hectares, way down from 3.44 million last year.
With July rains also expected to be weak, sowing could take another hit.
Many farmers are switching to faster-growing or less thirsty crops to cope with high irrigation costs and dry soil.
The good news? India has solid rice reserves (almost 39 million metric tons), so there's a buffer against shortages for now, but the government is keeping a close eye just in case things get tougher.