Datetime: 2026-02-25 01:40:35 Visit: 6355
India's Hotter, Drier February Threatens Rapeseed
New Delhi — Following an unusually warm January, India is bracing for a hotter and drier February, a weather pattern that puts key winter crops—including wheat, rapeseed and chickpeas—at significant risk, data from the country's meteorological department reveals, as reported by The Star.
The adverse weather comes even as Indian farmers expanded planting for two critical crops. By January 23, farm ministry statistics show, wheat was sown on a record 33.42 million hectares, while rapeseed planting reached an all-time high of 8.94 million hectares.
February is make-or-break for these crops, as it is a crucial period for grain and seed development. A sharp spike in temperatures now could reverse the gains from expanded planting and slash yields, warned a Mumbai-based dealer with a global trade house.
“A decline in rapeseed production would be particularly impactful for India, the world's largest vegetable oil importer,” the dealer added. “It would force the country to ramp up imports of cooking oils, which are already sourced from across the globe.”
India currently imports palm oil primarily from Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, while soybean oil and sunflower oil come from Argentina, Brazil, Russia and Ukraine, the report noted. With rapeseed— a key domestic source of edible oil—facing drought stress, reliance on imports could grow even more..
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