Sandip Das

Sowing of key kharif crops like rice, pulses, oilseeds, and cotton is down 21% year-on-year at 35.08 million hectares due to deficient rainfall, with monsoon expected to boost planting soon.

Over 42% surplus rainfall in early July has successfully cut India's overall monsoon deficit down to 15.2% from 40% in June.

Average retail prices for key cooking oils like mustard, soybean, and palm have jumped up to 12.8% year-on-year in India.

The southwest monsoon has covered India after the slowest progression in five years. While July rains reduced the deficit to 14.3%, concerns linger over eastern crop-growing states.

India has successfully reached its 20% ethanol blending target five years ahead of schedule. Driven by a major shift toward maize and grain feedstocks

Procurement of pulses, oilseeds to be scaled up

Food inflation in India rose to 5.32% in June 2026 due to higher prices of tomatoes and ginger, with potential weather risks including El Niño impacting future agricultural output and food prices.

Surplus monsoon rainfall this month has delayed kharif crop sowing, with a 16% year-on-year decline in area sown, affecting rice, pulses, oilseeds, and cotton, according to the agriculture ministry.

India’s edible oil imports fell 29% in June 2026 due to lower palm oil discounts from Indonesia and Malaysia, amid rising global biofuel mandates and tightened cooking oil stocks. Imports also reflect shifts in domestic production and alternative oil demand.

Contingency plan ready for rain-deficit districts