Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said five states are facing drought-like conditions following a deficient monsoon, and the Centre will send central teams to assess the crop damage.

Karnataka, Maharashtra, parts of Andhra Pradesh including Rayalaseema, Telangana and Rajasthan are the worst affected. The country received 12.3 percent less rainfall than normal this monsoon, with around 6.11 lakh hectares of cropped area hit. Paddy acreage is down by 16.32 lakh hectares compared with last year, raising concerns about kharif output.

Chouhan made the remarks at the national conference on rabi crops for 2026-27, where he reviewed sowing preparations with state governments. He said a central team will visit Karnataka on October 3, and a team will also be dispatched to Maharashtra to assess the situation on the ground.

The minister assured states that the Centre would provide assistance under the National Disaster Response Fund norms once the teams submit their reports. Officials said contingency plans, including short-duration crop varieties and additional seed supply, are being readied in case the rabi season also sees poor moisture. Farmers in rain-deficient districts have been advised to approach agriculture departments for support under existing relief schemes.