CropLife India urges farmers to use the zaid window after rabi losses
CropLife India has issued fresh guidance for the zaid season after rain and hail damaged rabi crops. It says farmers should avoid sowing delays, use resilient varieties, and watch closely for pests, diseases, and fake crop-protection products.
CropLife India, the pesticides manufacturers’ industry body, has issued a new advisory for the current zaid season after heavy rabi losses in several states. The organization argues that the window between the rabi and kharif seasons is especially important in 2026 because it may provide badly needed income after weather-related setbacks in standing and harvest-ready crops.
The advisory says farmers who lost rabi output cannot afford to miss the zaid sowing window. Every week of delay compresses the crop cycle and directly cuts yields, according to the group. CropLife India recommends heat-tolerant varieties, irrigation every five to seven days, mulch to conserve moisture, and regular field scouting for red spider mites, aphids, and fruit flies, whose life cycles speed up in summer heat.
The group also says residual moisture left behind by unseasonal rain raises the risk of fungal diseases in some areas. That is why it is urging timely, need-based use of crop protection products in line with label directions and Good Agricultural Practices. Secretary general Durgesh Chandra said that in the short but vital zaid season, even one failed spray on a short-duration crop can lead to total yield loss.
CropLife India said successive western disturbances damaged harvest-ready rabi crops in Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and other states. It added that the conflict in West Asia has disrupted global supply chains and shipping routes, pushing up the cost of farm inputs, including crop-protection products. The temporary waiver of customs duty on key petrochemical inputs was described as helpful, but the body said the full benefit would likely show up only in later production cycles.
Weather risk adds another layer of pressure. Private forecaster Skymet projects the 2026 monsoon at about 94 percent of the long-period average and assigns a 30 percent probability to drought. NOAA has indicated a 62 percent chance of El Niño developing in June to August. CropLife therefore sees zaid returns as a financial buffer ahead of a potentially more uncertain kharif season.
Government data cited in the article show current zaid sowing had reached 58.29 lakh hectares as of April 3, compared with 57.80 lakh hectares a year earlier. Paddy area stood at 30.12 lakh hectares versus 32.59 lakh, pulses at 8.79 lakh versus 7.02 lakh, oilseeds at 7.74 lakh versus 7.42 lakh, and maize at 7.18 lakh versus 7.01 lakh. Against that backdrop, the group is also warning farmers to buy crop-protection products only from licensed dealers, verify authenticity, and follow label and leaflet instructions strictly.