India’s 2026 weak monsoon and crop stress

1 Oct 2026

India’s 2026 monsoon deficit has become a broad stress test for farming, water storage and food inflation. The season was weakened by El Niño and marked by long dry spells, leaving soil moisture low and reservoirs under pressure after rainfall finished well below normal. That has strained rain-fed crops such as rice, cotton, soybeans, maize and pulses, while also threatening the next round of winter planting. State-level relief efforts, including in Andhra Pradesh, show how authorities are trying to reduce losses through crop switching, water management and insurance support. What remains at stake is rural income, crop yields and the stability of food supplies in a year when weather volatility is already reshaping agricultural risk.