Agriculture
El Niño, monsoon risk put India's crop insurance scheme under the lens
A developing El Niño and erratic monsoon rainfall are reviving questions over PMFBY enrolment, state participation and a reform cycle now pushed to next year.
4 min read15 Jul 2026Rainfall data suggests we can breathe easier—but only a bit, as India is only midway through its rains
Rainfall coverage is of enormous importance to Indian well-being, given the number of livelihoods and lives it still impacts. While initial fears of an El Niño dry-up this year might have begun to evaporate, it’s too early to relax our guard.
2 min read14 Jul 2026The week in charts: Slow kharif sowing, capex caution, clean energy milestone
In this weekly Plain Facts compilation, we present to you data-based insights, with easy-to-read charts, to help you delve deeper into the stories reported by Mint in the week gone by.
4 min read11 Jul 2026The rural economy will need government support—a monsoon revival hasn't washed away farmer worries
Rainfall has picked up in July but this year’s deficiency still poses a major threat to farm output. Policymakers must increase public spending and strengthen India’s rural employment cover. Alleviation of rural distress could backstop consumption demand—aiding the rest of the economy too.
3 min read9 Jul 2026Kharif-sown area shrinks by over 20% after delayed and deficient monsoon rainfall
Farmers have been advised to shift to short-duration and low water-intensive crops such as maize, bajra and moong.
2 min read8 Jul 2026Mint Explainer: Electric tractor probe puts India-China business ties to the test
Any adverse findings and subsequent action could turn back the clock on India-China business relations.
2 min read6 Jul 2026Monsoon advances further across north, central India; rains set to boost kharif sowing
A low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal is expected to bring widespread rainfall to key agricultural regions even as July rainfall is forecast to be below normal.
2 min read2 Jul 2026IMD forecasts below-normal rainfall for India in July
The IMD forecast follows India's driest June in more than a decade, and the fifth-driest since records began in 1901, with south-west monsoon rainfall 39.8% below the LPA
3 min read30 Jun 2026Modi spotlights shift to public transport, natural fertilizers amid Gulf crisis
Addressing the nation in his monthly radio broadcast ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Modi said that following his appeal to avoid foreign travel and cut gold purchases, many people have postponed overseas holidays and chosen not to buy new gold, with some instead recycling old gold to make new jewellery.
3 min read28 Jun 2026El Niño dry-up: India's agricultural supply chain has a vital input that’s looking very weak this year
Since rain is a crucial input for Indian farming, the possibility of sparse monsoon rainfall has everyone on edge. The impact will be felt beyond farms and likely push up inflation. A warming world will put the country’s farm resilience to test.
3 min read28 Jun 2026Wait for it…
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