{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "El Nino Threatens to Drain Madhya Pradesh's Rains as Monsoon Lands Nearly Two Weeks Late",
  "summary": "Monsoon is running about 11 days late across Madhya Pradesh, and forecasters expect roughly 10 percent less rain this year due to El Nino, deepening worries for farmers and their Kharif crop.",
  "content": "More than half of June is already gone, yet Sagar in the Bundelkhand region has logged just two and a half inches of rain so far. Pre-monsoon activity has finally begun, but the monsoon itself is trailing nearly 11 days behind its usual date. On top of that, the weather department has warned of below-normal rainfall this year because of El Nino, a forecast that has left rain-dependent farmers anxious. The big question now is simple: what exactly is El Nino, and how badly will it hit your crop?\n\nDr. K.S. Yadav, chief scientist at the Sagar Krishi Vigyan Kendra, breaks it down. According to him, the El Nino effect warms the mid-ocean waters of the Pacific, and that directly disturbs the eastern coast and the monsoon that sweeps from the south across to the west. It is on this basis that the IMD and the Central Agriculture Ministry have flagged the possibility of roughly 10 percent less rainfall this season. That is what the El Nino effect means, and it is why rainfall is expected to fall short.\n\nMonsoon Reaches Madhya Pradesh 11 Days Behind Schedule\nDr. Yadav explains that if rainfall drops, the first casualty will be the sowing window and the entire seasonal cycle. The monsoon is already late, and 60 to 70 percent of farmers in Bundelkhand farm purely on rain. Normally the monsoon arrives here between 15 June and 21 June. For a crop like soybean, this kind of delay means farmers fall behind right at the start.\n\nThe second worry is that El Nino keeps temperatures elevated. Dry spells lengthen, and there is a real chance that no rain falls for 15 to 20 days at a stretch. That leaves crops parched, reduces pollination, cuts down pod formation and triggers a sharper outbreak of pests and diseases. The whole seasonal rhythm goes off track, and once Kharif is delayed, the damage spills over into the Rabi season as well.\n\nAdvice for Soybean, Maize and Urad Growers\nThe expert advice is for farmers growing soybean, maize and urad to be especially careful right now. The most important rule: sow only after the monsoon delivers 75 to 100 mm of rain. Farmers should lock in three things. First, plant short-duration crops. If you want to grow soybean, get it in by 10 July and use a 90-day variety. Second, always carry out seed treatment. And third, treat the seed with PSB and Rhizobium culture.\n\nThe Math Behind 1230 mm Over Four Months\nThe districts said to face the greatest El Nino risk include Dhar, Jhabua, Barwani, Neemuch, Ratlam, Datia, Sagar, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Panna, Shivpuri, Mandla, Satna, Betul, Chhindwara, Khandwa and the areas around them. Vivek Chhalotre, the scientist in charge at the Sagar meteorological centre, notes that Sagar receives 1230 mm of rain across the four-month monsoon season. With the directorate projecting a 10 percent shortfall, that translates to roughly 130 mm less rain this time.\n\nThe historical numbers are sobering too. In Sagar, of the nine times El Nino has been observed, the district recorded below-normal rainfall on six of those occasions. Rain will keep falling early on, but the later months will see a drop that can directly hurt crops. That is why farmers are being urged to use 80 to 85 day varieties. The weather department's mobile apps, Damini and Meghdoot, can also prove genuinely useful for farmers.\n\nWhat this means for you\n• Across India: An expected 10 percent drop in rainfall due to El Nino could shrink Kharif output and raise both costs and risk for rain-dependent farmers.\n• In Madhya Pradesh: Farmers in districts like Dhar, Jhabua, Sagar and Chhatarpur should sow only after 75 to 100 mm of rain, and stick to short-duration 90-day soybean varieties sown by 10 July.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. How late is the monsoon in Madhya Pradesh?\nThe monsoon is running about 11 days behind schedule. It usually arrives here between 15 and 21 June.\n\n2. How much less rain is expected because of El Nino?\nThe IMD and the Central Agriculture Ministry say El Nino could cut rainfall by about 10 percent this season.\n\n3. How much rain does Sagar get during the monsoon season?\nSagar receives 1230 mm of rain over the four-month monsoon season, and a shortfall of roughly 130 mm is expected this time.\n\n4. When should farmers sow their crops?\nFarmers are advised to sow only after the monsoon delivers 75 to 100 mm of rain.\n\n5. What is the advice for sowing soybean?\nSow soybean by 10 July using a short-duration 90-day variety, and be sure to carry out seed treatment.\n\n6. Which districts face the highest El Nino risk?\nDhar, Jhabua, Barwani, Neemuch, Ratlam, Datia, Sagar, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Panna, Shivpuri, Mandla, Satna, Betul, Chhindwara, Khandwa and surrounding areas are said to be most affected.\n\n7. Which mobile apps can help farmers?\nThe weather department's mobile apps, Damini and Meghdoot, can prove genuinely useful for farmers.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/madhya-pradesh/el-nino-ki-mara-se-madhya-pradesh-men-barisha-ghatane-ka-dara-manasuna-pichhara-to-kisanon-ki-barhi-bechaini-2739",
  "category": "Madhya Pradesh",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-24",
  "tags": [
    "El Nino",
    "Madhya Pradesh monsoon",
    "Kharif crop",
    "soybean sowing",
    "Sagar rainfall",
    "farmer advisory",
    "weather department"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}