As the world awaits the United States Department of Agriculture’s Crop Production Report, which will give information on the extent of the damage caused by the country’s worst drought in over half a century, similar situations occurring elsewhere in the world may be receiving less attention.

Nevertheless, the below average Monsoon rains in India and drought in major wheat producer Russia will undoubtedly help compound the misery caused by reduced availability of staple grains and the resultant skyrocketing of food prices over coming weeks.

In India, this year’s monsoon has seen reduced rainfall across the country, which it is feared will affect crop production in some of the region’s major agricultural areas. The weather has caused drought in some areas and flooding elsewhere and it is thought that, if below average monsoon conditions persist, there will be repercussions for the agriculture industry which makes up 15 per cent of India’s economy.

Over half of the arable land in Asia’s number three economy has no irrigation and relies on rain water alone. The country is a major producer of cotton, rice, sugar and a number of peas, beans and other pulses; many pulses are grown in areas without irrigation and below average rains may well affect crops.  

Although India’s rice crop shrank this year, rice inventories remain well stocked and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation has said other large producers are having good growing seasons, meaning there should not be any shortages of the world’s second most widely consumed grain.  

The drought conditions resulting from below average monsoon weather will also affect cotton yields and may hinder oilseed production if rains do no improve in the West. Monsoon rains in India have fallen 17 per cent short of the average levels overall, but the severity of the situation has varied across different regions. In some areas, the rainfall deficit appears to be lessening.

Meteorologists have suggested that, following an exceptionally dry June, improvements have been observed through July and August. The India Meteorological Department said this week that conditions in some of the country’s major rice and oilseed growing regions may improve over the coming weeks and that between the end of July and beginning of August soy and groundnut crops had received regular rainfall, which may offer some relief for stricken farmers.

However, rainfall in the oilseed producing state of Gujarat and grain producing region of the Punjab has been well below average.

The Indian government has introduced relief programmes and announced a plan for the worst affected areas. Though it has not introduced any curbs on exports, the country’s agriculture ministry has made efforts to bring down irrigation costs and provide fodder for animals in affected regions.

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