There is no El Nino effect this year and the monsoon thus far has been almost normal, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) clarified on Thursday. According to ICAR scientists, the monsoon will become normal in the next couple of days and there’s no need for any contingency plan. El Nino refers to the rise in surface pressure over the southern Indian Ocean near Indonesia, which has been found to affect the Indian monsoon.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a two-day meeting of ICAR scientists, director-general Dr S. Ayyappan and director of Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture Dr B. Venkateswara Rao said the El Nino effect would not be felt even during August though there might be some impact in September. The scientists said the El Nino signal was weak and the target for normal area where crops are sown would be achieved by July 20. Crops have been sown on about 30 lakh hectares. Good rains in the last few days have helped farmers, though sowing in maize and pulses is lagging.