India's kharif sowing down 23% with 42% less rainfall
India's main crop season is off to a rough start: kharif sowing is down 23% compared to last year, mostly because the country's seen 42% less rainfall so far.
Farmers are struggling to plant on time, and there are real worries about how much food will actually be produced this year, especially with the Super El Nino forecast.
July is make-or-break: the government is urging farmers to use any good rain spells for planting key crops like rice, pulses, and oilseeds.
Several kharif crops shrink sharply
It's not just one crop feeling the pinch: paddy (rice), pulses, oilseeds, cotton, and even soybeans have all seen their planted areas shrink sharply from last year.
For example, oilseed coverage has more than halved.
The only small bright spot? Jowar (a type of millet) actually saw a slight increase in acreage.
But overall, if rains don't pick up soon, food production could take a serious hit this season.