India records driest June in 12 years, raising concerns over crops, monsoon

India has experienced its driest June in 12 years and the fifth-driest June since nationwide rainfall records began in 1901, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), raising concerns over crop planting and food production as the country's crucial monsoon season gets off to a weak start.

The IMD has also forecast below-normal rainfall for July, the wettest month of the southwest monsoon, increasing worries about the progress of sowing for key summer crops, BBC reports.

Government data shows that farmers had planted summer crops across 18.27 million hectares by June 30, down nearly 23% from 23.65 million hectares during the same period in 2025. Rice planting has been particularly affected, falling by about 25% to 2.58 million hectares from 3.44 million hectares a year earlier.

India's summer crops—including rice, pulses, coarse cereals, oilseeds, cotton, sugarcane and jute—depend heavily on the southwest monsoon, which typically supplies around 70% of the country's annual rainfall. Nearly half of India's cultivated farmland lacks reliable irrigation, making timely and widespread rainfall essential for millions of farmers.

The monsoon usually reaches the southern state of Kerala around June 1 before advancing northward across the country. This year, however, it arrived three days late and stalled for about two weeks over parts of western India, delaying land preparation and planting in several agricultural regions.

The IMD had forecast June rainfall at 92% of the long-term average, but actual rainfall fell well short of expectations.

"This was the fifth-driest June for India since 1901, and the driest in 12 years," IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra told the BBC.

Experts warn that poor rainfall could also reduce domestic oilseed production, forcing India to rely more heavily on imported edible oils.

Despite the slow start, the overall impact on this year's harvest remains uncertain because the monsoon season continues through September, leaving time for rainfall to recover and farmers to catch up on delayed sowing.

India also entered the season with substantial food reserves. Official figures show government rice stocks stood at 39.7 million tonnes on July 1—nearly three times the official buffer requirement of 13.5 million tonnes. Another 29.8 million tonnes of rice is expected to be added once paddy already purchased from farmers is processed.

The government has stepped up contingency planning in anticipation of a potentially weak monsoon and possible El Niño conditions, which are associated with warmer Pacific Ocean temperatures and can suppress rainfall across South Asia.

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said authorities have identified 315 districts at risk of below-normal rainfall and prepared emergency measures, including promoting short-duration crops, drought-resistant varieties and water conservation.

"We are preparing in advance, not waiting for a crisis," said Chouhan after chairing a government meeting on the issue.

Seeking to reassure farmers, the minister said there was "no need to panic," adding that the country's rice and wheat reserves remain sufficient and there is no immediate threat to India's food security despite the weak onset of the monsoon.

By Sabina Mammadli