India asks 9–10 states to draw up district-level Kharif contingency plans as El Nino risk worsens

India’s agriculture minister Sharma told 9–10 states expected to be hit hardest by El Nino to immediately prepare district-level contingency plans for the Kharif season. He asked officials to prioritise expanding cotton and pulse acreage and step up the rollout of drought-resilient farming practices. The move is aimed at addressing potential output risks in key cotton-growing areas and has triggered a coordinated, cross-department response at the government level. No specific output forecasts or price data were provided, but the intervention is described as materially stronger than routine crop monitoring and could meaningfully affect cotton supply expectations.