SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has recorded Kharif crop sowing over 4.46 lakh hectares as of July 13, against a normal area of 5.90 lakh hectares, with the Centre saying sowing operations for the 2026-27 agricultural season are still underway.
The figures were provided by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Tuesday in response to a question on the impact of deficient rainfall and delayed monsoon on Kharif crops.
According to the ministry’s state-wise data, the area covered under Kharif crops in JK stood at 4.46 lakh hectares by July 13, compared with 4.13 lakh hectares during the corresponding period of 2025. The current coverage is about 75.6 per cent of the five-year normal Kharif area of 5.90 lakh hectares.
The ministry, however, has not released the first advance estimates for the major Kharif crops for 2026-27, stating that sowing operations are still in progress. It said the overall Kharif sowing across the country was only five per cent lower than the corresponding period last year.
The annexure to the reply lists JK’s year-on-year change as minus 0.33 lakh hectares, although the reported figures of 4.46 lakh hectares in 2026 and 4.13 lakh hectares in 2025 indicate an increase of 0.33 lakh hectares. The discrepancy appears in the government-provided table.
Across the 20 major states covered in the annexure, 826.19 lakh hectares had been brought under Kharif crops by July 13, against 1,104.45 lakh hectares as the normal area for June-September. The corresponding 2025 figure was 787.37 lakh hectares.
The Centre said it was continuously monitoring the monsoon situation and its possible impact on agriculture in coordination with the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutions, the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Central Water Commission, Central Ground Water Board, Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre and state governments, among other agencies.
The ministry said advisories had been issued to states and Union Territory administrations for pre-season district-level crop and variety planning, maintenance of state seed reserves and activation of contingency seed reserves before the onset of the monsoon. It also directed monitoring of seed quality and availability during periods of peak demand.
District Agriculture Contingency Plans have been updated for 342 districts jointly by ICAR’s Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture and state governments. The plans cover strategies for delayed monsoon onset as well as measures for dealing with mid-season and terminal drought conditions.
The ICAR has also prepared standard operating procedures for Krishi Vigyan Kendras to implement the contingency plans, including need-based planning, coordination with agriculture and other departments, real-time agro-advisories, farmer awareness and feedback mechanisms.
The ministry’s reply also provided rainfall data for Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh for June 1 to July 29. Punjab recorded 136.4 mm against a normal 204.5 mm, a 33 per cent deficit, while Haryana recorded 144.7 mm against 195.2 mm, a 26 per cent deficit.
Rajasthan received 173.8 mm against 206.3 mm, 16 per cent below normal, while Uttar Pradesh recorded 260 mm against 342.8 mm, a 24 per cent deficit. Himachal Pradesh received 324 mm against a normal 339.7 mm, a five per cent deficit.
The reply did not provide a corresponding cumulative rainfall figure for Jammu and Kashmir in the rainfall table.
On financial relief, the Centre said state governments are primarily responsible for providing relief on the ground in the event of notified calamities under the National Policy on Disaster Management. Such assistance is provided from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) according to approved norms.
Additional assistance can be considered from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) in cases of disasters of severe nature, subject to the prescribed procedure, including assessment by an Inter-Ministerial Central Team and submission of a memorandum by the concerned state.
The ministry clarified that assistance under the SDRF and NDRF is intended as relief and does not constitute compensation for losses suffered or claimed by farmers.
