India's El Niño Triggers Crop Alerts in Telangana and Maharashtra

Telangana ministers warned farmers in Medak district to avoid water‑intensive crops such as paddy amid forecasts of below‑normal rainfall caused by the El Niño. The state’s labour minister urged a shift to oil palm, pulses, millets and other low‑water crops and highlighted the availability of central and state subsidies. Agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao called for coordinated, “mission‑mode” action, directing officials to create awareness, review water resources and deploy the ₹9,000 crore Rythu Bharosa scheme to support farmers.

In Maharashtra, the El Niño has disrupted the monsoon, leaving only about 60 % of the sowing season completed by mid‑July, down from 84 % a year earlier. Low rainfall forced re‑sowing in several districts, increasing financial strain on farmers. Soybean accounts for the largest share of the sowing area, followed by cotton, while regions such as Marathwada, Konkan and Vidarbha report the most severe delays.