Water Shortage Cuts Kharif Rice Acreage; Rabi Outlook Gains Hope

A severe water deficit has trimmed Tamil Nadu's Kharif rice area by 28 percent, prompting officials to look to the Rabi season for a rebound. The cultivated paddy zone fell to 12.52 lakh hectares, down from 17.5 lakh hectares the previous year, a loss of 4.98 lakh hectares.

Delayed opening of the Medu reservoir and reduced Kaveri River discharge were cited as the main drivers of the shortfall. To offset the deficit, the agriculture department plans to boost sowing activities between October and March.

The state maintains its 2026‑27 food grain goal at 12.5 million metric tonnes, with an anticipated rice contribution of 7.9 million tonnes. Seasonal rainfall projections for the Rabi period are normal, supporting a cultivated area target of 30.26 lakh hectares.

In the 2025‑26 cycle, Tamil Nadu harvested 122.43 lakh tonnes of grain against a target of 130.23 lakh tonnes. Emergency schemes across districts now promote direct‑seeded rice, a practice that reduces water use and lowers the risk of damage from the northeast monsoon. Sorghum (samba) acreage is also on the rise, with the next 45 days being decisive for its progress.

The early‑season kuruvai rice also suffered, dropping to 3.91 lakh hectares from 5.05 lakh hectares, especially in delta districts where the area shrank from 2.55 lakh hectares to 1.85 lakh hectares.

Weak demand has left 300 crore rupees of fertilizer and seed stock idle in over 4,400 primary agricultural cooperative credit societies. To prevent wastage, the cooperative marketing federation has broadened fertilizer distribution to include farmers outside the cooperative membership.

Cooperative banks have sharply cut loan disbursements, causing the cooperation department to halt crop‑loan recovery. The credit slowdown mirrors reduced planting activity, reinforcing the importance of a successful Rabi season to achieve the state's annual grain objectives.