Rainfall during June-July and kharif crop in Bundelkhand

 

Rainfall Observed at Tikamgarh

Month	May	June	July
Normal	6.0	78	311
Actual observed	70.4	22.3	80mm(1-6July)

Rainfall observed during June was below 65% of the normal rainfall at Tikamgarh. After the onset of monsoon (2^nd July,2026) rainfall was observed and farmers are able to sow their kharif crops. It is expected a light to medium rainfall during next 3-4 days in Bundelkhand agroclimatic zone.

Rainfall in July 2026

• IMD has forecast below-normal rainfall for July 2026, with all-India rainfall expected to be less than 94% of the Long Period Average (LPA) due to the strengthening El Niño. Central India, including Bundelkhand, is expected to experience uneven rainfall distribution, with long dry spells interrupted by a few heavy rainfall events rather than regular widespread rain. Although rainfall activity may improve during parts of July, the month as a whole is still likely to remain below normal. Kharif crop sowing status

Across India:

• By late June 2026, kharif sowing was about 23% lower than the previous year because of delayed monsoon onset and rainfall deficiency. For Bundelkhand, the likely situation is:

• Delayed sowing of soybean, pigeonpea (arhar), sesame, black gram (urd), green gram (moong), and maize in rainfed areas.
• Farmers are waiting for 50–75 mm of cumulative rainfall before undertaking large-scale sowing.
• Early-sown crops may face moisture stress if dry spells exceed 10–15 days.

Crop-wise recommendations

Rainfall situation	Recommended crops
Sowing before 15 July	Soybean, sesame, maize, pigeonpea
Sowing during 15–25 July	Short-duration soybean, urd, moong, sesame
Sowing after 25 July	Black gram, sesame, pearl millet, fodder crops
Very late sowing (after early August)	Horse gram, cowpea, fodder sorghum

Advisory for Bundelkhand farmers

• Wait until adequate soil moisture is available before sowing.
• Prefer short-duration and drought-tolerant varieties if sowing is delayed.
• Complete seed treatment with fungicide and biofertilizers before sowing.
• Maintain moisture through ridge–furrow planting and mulching where possible.
• Keep contingency seed available in case re-sowing becomes necessary.

Outlook for the rest of the season

If the predicted strong El Niño persists and August–September rainfall also remains below normal, Bundelkhand may experience:

• Reduced soybean and maize yields.
• Better performance of pigeonpea and sesame compared with soybean.
• Greater need for life-saving irrigation where water is available.
• Increased risk of mid-season agricultural drought, especially in shallow black and red soils.