Preparations for the Kharif season of 2026-27 are gathering pace in Palamu district, but this year the agriculture department is not stopping at the usual job of getting seeds and fertiliser out on time. Uncertainty over the weather has pushed officials to put a pointed question before farmers — is it wise to stake an entire season on paddy alone? Their answer is a clear no.
An El Nino Warning Reshapes the Advice
According to District Agriculture Officer Deepak Kumar, the biggest worry this season is a possible El Nino effect. He cautions that it could throw rainfall patterns off balance, and when water is no longer dependable, leaning entirely on paddy becomes a gamble for farmers. That is why the department is asking growers to be extra careful while choosing what to plant.
Crops That Thrive on Less Water
Deepak Kumar has urged farmers to expand cultivation of pigeon pea (arhar), maize and ragi — crops that deliver well even with limited water. His logic is simple: in an unpredictable climate, if one crop fails, another can cushion the loss. For this reason the department treats crop diversification as the most reliable way to avoid damage, and is giving special weight to arhar and coarse grains over paddy this year.
A Target of 1.37 Lakh Hectares
For this Kharif season the district has been set a target of bringing a total of 1,37,270 hectares under cultivation. To meet it, the agriculture department is reviewing readiness across every block so that no farmer is left waiting for seeds, fertiliser or technical help. Officials have been clearly instructed to keep a close watch on seed distribution and fertiliser supply.
Seed Availability Falls Short
The preparations, however, are running into a major hurdle — a shortage of seed. Deepak Kumar said that for the financial year 2026-27 the district had requested 18,658 quintals of paddy seed from the state government, yet only 3,270 quintals have arrived so far. Whatever has come in has already been dispatched to all the blocks so that it reaches farmers in time.
The push for pulses has hit the same wall. The district had sought 809 quintals of arhar seed, but the allotment so far is stuck at around 150 quintals. The agriculture department says it is continuously following up at the state level to secure the rest.
KCC Camps and Village-Level Guidance
Alongside the groundwork in the fields, the department is also working to strengthen farmers financially. Special camps are being organised under the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme, with banks and the agriculture department jointly trying to enrol as many farmers as possible. In addition, agriculture staff are travelling village to village to brief farmers on weather-appropriate farming and modern agricultural techniques.
