Farmers confront the vagaries of a patchy monsoon

Karbhari Jadhav, a Nashik onion farmer, lost nearly a quarter of his crop due to unseasonal rains in April 2026 but is optimistic as wholesale onion prices have risen to ₹27-28 per kg.

Farmers fear patchy monsoon rainfall could reduce harvests, while wholesale traders have pushed up prices of onions, pulses, edible oils, and some vegetables on expectations of tighter supplies.

According to the India Meteorological Department, 53% of districts are classified as deficient or largely deficient, despite cumulative rainfall being only 21% below the Long Period Average.

Prolonged dry spells could hurt rain-fed crops like pulses, soybean, and maize, where timing of rainfall matters more than seasonal total, as noted by Torq Commodities CEO Garima Jain.