Polity & Governance GS 2 In the news 4 times

Kharif Cropping Season

Kharif crops are summer crops sown at the beginning of the monsoon season (June-July) and harvested in September-October. They are rain-dependent and sensitive to Southwest Monsoon performance. Major Kharif crops include paddy, jowar, bajra, maize, cotton, groundnut, tur, moong, urad, soybean, sunflower, sesamum, and nigerseed — all 14 of which have MSP coverage.

Key details

Kharif sowing begins with Southwest Monsoon onset (usually June)
Paddy is the dominant Kharif food grain; cotton is the dominant cash crop
Pulses (tur, moong, urad) are critical for protein nutrition and import substitution
Oilseeds (groundnut, sunflower, sesamum) support edible oil self-sufficiency goals

In the news

● Tracked since March 23, 2026 · last seen June 15, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes

15 Jun '26

Kharif 2026 sowing gets off to a slow start as El Niño casts shadow over monsoon

Environment & Ecology

17 May '26

Kharif output dips by over 10% across states in El Niño years: Study

Agriculture & Food Security

13 May '26

MSP hike for Kharif crops: Cabinet raises support prices for 14 crops for marketing season 2026-27

Economics

23 Mar '26