Unseasonal Hailstorms Damage Rabi Crops in Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana; Inflation Concerns Rise

Severe unseasonal hailstorms and heavy rain across Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana in early April 2026 have damaged ripening rabi crops just as harvest was getting under way, raising fresh concerns about food inflation and farm distress. Speaking on the sidelines of the Western Regional Agriculture Conference in Jaipur on April 7, 2026, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the storms had dislodged ripening wheat, mustard, gram and barley over large tracts and that he had directed officials to expedite damage assessments and crop insurance claims under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). Rajasthan was among the worst affected, with reports of damage in Bharatpur, Alwar, Sikar, Jhunjhunu and parts of Ajmer division. Skymet Weather has warned that the temperate, rain-laden April pattern could be a precursor to a below-normal southwest monsoon in 2026, with a possible Super El Niño emerging by late 2026 that could further suppress rainfall. Climate scientists at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) note that India experienced extreme weather on 331 of 334 days in 2025, with 4,419 lives lost. The Reserve Bank of India has separately flagged that climate change has become the dominant force making food inflation "endemic" in India, due to repeated supply shocks from erratic weather. The events underscore the urgency of climate-resilient agriculture, irrigation hardening and a stronger crop insurance regime.