India Sees Driest June in 12 Years and 23 Percent Drop in Summer Crop Sowing, but Rice Stocks Triple Buffer

India recorded its driest June in 12 years and the fifth-driest June since 1901, the India Meteorological Department said. Rainfall totaled 39.8 percent below the long-period average after the department had forecast 92 percent of normal. The southwest monsoon, which normally supplies 70 percent of annual rainfall, reached Kerala three days late and advanced slowly across western India for about two weeks.

Farmers had sown summer crops across 18.27 million hectares as of 30 June, the federal agriculture ministry reported, 23 percent less than the 23.65 million hectares planted by the same date in 2025. Rice planting fell more sharply to 2.58 million hectares from 3.44 million hectares a year earlier. Nearly half of India's net sown farmland lacks assured irrigation and depends on monsoon timing.

Government rice stocks stood at 39.7 million tonnes on 1 July, nearly three times the official buffer of 13.5 million tonnes, with another 29.8 million tonnes expected after milling of already procured paddy. The India Meteorological Department forecast below-normal rainfall for July, which typically accounts for one-third of monsoon precipitation.

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said authorities have identified 315 districts at risk of below-normal rainfall and prepared contingency plans that include short-duration crops and water conservation measures.

"We are preparing in advance, not waiting for a crisis," Chouhan said after a meeting last week. He added there was "no need to panic" because buffer stocks of rice and wheat remained comfortable. Only four Junes since 1901 were drier than June 2026: 1905, 1926, 2009 and 2014.